JOURNAL 



LIFE OF JOHN WILBUR, 



A MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL 



SOCIETY OF FRIENDS; 



SELECTIONS FROM HIS CORRESPONDENCE, &c. 



He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with 
rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Ps. cxxvi: 6. 




PROVIDENCE: 
PUBLISHED BY GEORGE H. WHITNEY, 

3 WESTMINSTER STREET, 
1859. . 



<*°* 




-v 






J* ! 



RIVERSIDE, C A JI BRIDGE*. 
PRINTED BY H. O. HOUGHTON AND COMPANY. 



i 




At a Meeting for Sufferings, of New England Yearly Meeting of 
Friends, held at North Providence, 2d of 2d month, 1859 — 
The reading of the Journal of our late beloved friend, John 
Wilbur, with selections from his Correspondence, having occupied 
this Meeting during several previous sittings, was concluded at this 
time ; and believing that the state of things in the Society at large 
is such as to call for its publication, and that the cause of Truth 
will be promoted thereby, the surviving children of John Wilbur 
are left at liberty to publish the same. 

Signed on behalf of the Meeting aforesaid, 

ETHAN FOSTER, Clerk for this time. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

Introduction 7 

Preliminary Chapter 13 

CHAPTER I. 
Account of his Engagements in the Ministry from 1819 to 1822 17 

CHAPTER II. 

His Travels and Exercises between 1824 and 1827, including 

some Allusion to his Early Life and Experience . . 41 

CHAPTER III. 
First Visit to Europe, during the Years 1831, 1832, and 1833 . 72 

CHAPTER IV. 
Journeys and Correspondence, from 1833 to 1841 . . . 176 

CHAPTER V. 

Account of his Sufferings, from the Year 1840 to 1844, for his 

Testimony against Unsound Doctrines . . . .266 



O CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER VI. 
Correspondence from 1841 to 1851 inclusive .... 336 

CHAPTER VII. 

Visits in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, in 1852 

and 1853, and further Correspondence .... 469 

CHAPTER Vm. 
Second Visit to Europe, in 1853-4, and Conclusion of the Journal 510 



Appendix, containing the Letters of John Wilbur, addressed to 

George Crosfield, whilst in England in 1832 . . . 566 



INTRODUCTION 



The biography herewith presented to the reader is one of no common 
character. It is the plain and unassuming, though in some portions 
self-defensive narrative, of one who, after being for many years put in 
trust with the gospel, and highly esteemed for the work's sake, found 
the latter years of his pilgrimage and ministry fraught with uncommon 
exercise and trial, from the unexpected discovery of a spirit at work in 
the Society to which he belonged, and especially in the land of our 
forefathers, tending to undermine its original principles and character — 
a spirit which, in its progress, though exposed and opposed by him and 
by other faithful watchmen in Europe and America, yet, spreading 
across the Atlantic, had power and influence sufficient to accomplish a 
schism in the Society — of which schism, this worthy man was an early 
victim. 

A former heresy, in which the precious doctrines of the sonship 
and atonement of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the divine 
authority of Holy Scripture, were set at naught, had found him at his 
post, in the meridian of life, firmly standing by the ancient Chris- 
tian faith of the Society. That scourge, however, had passed over 
without producing much devastation within New England Yearly 
Meeting, or in Great Britain. But great was his distress and conflict, 
several years later, in finding that the same spirit which had lately 
been leading astray into the wilderness of unbelief, was again at work, 
under a very plausible guise, drawing away multitudes in the opposite 
direction, into a dependence on man's wisdom and learning, and pro- 
ducing a disrelish for, and departure from, the pure, deep, spiritual 



8 INTKODUCTIOX. 

doctrines of those who had been instrumental, two hundred years ago, 
in gathering the Society in a true experience and united acknowledg- 
ment of " Christ within, the hope of glory." He saw the inroads of 
this second schism, and its tendency to bring in a religion of "the 
letter," and of outside show, in place of that of living experimental 
knowledge — one of ease to the fleshly mind, instead of that which is 
and must be " with burning and fuel of fire " — and being bold in the 
Lord to withstand it, he brought down upon himself by his faithfulness 
the hostility of those whose backsliding was by him constantly testified 
against. 

The story of his persecution by false brethren, and of their ultimate 
departure, in New England, into a separation from sound Friends, will 
be recognized in the future history of the Society, as unfolding an 
almost incredible page of outrage ; first upon the original principles of 
Quakerism, and next upon private rights and the Christian discipline 
of the church. We may well say " almost incredible ; " for when we 
consider all its features, of irregular and tyrannical proceedings to 
accomplish their determined object, we are led to conclude that surely 
such a case is without a parallel in Christian history outside of the 
dark walls of Romanism. The spectacle of an aged minister of the 
gospel, of long acknowledged worth and integrity, being for years pur- 
sued by the constituted authorities of his own Society, and ultimately 
cast out of their communion, on account of his faithful testimony, in 
accordance with the requirements of their own discipline, against pal- 
pable innovations upon their ancient faith, might well excite a doubt of 
the correctness or impartiality of the delineator, were not his statements 
borne out by collateral and concurrent testimony beyond the reach of 
cavil or doubt. The cumulative evidence in this case is overwhelming, 
and even drawn in part from the publications of the very party con- 
cerned against him, as has been shown in the " Report of Philadelphia 
Yearly Meeting on the Division in New England;" and the only 
attempt to avoid the consequences of such developments, so far as we 
yet know, has been by vague denial, and a recourse to side issues 
and evasions. 

Sad indeed is the consideration, that such a picture should be pre- 
sented within the once peaceful enclosure of the Society of Friends ; 
and great is the stumbling-block thereby laid in the way of the honest 
inquirer after truth, until by a fair and candid investigation, the fact is 



INTRODUCTION. 9 

clearly appreciated, that these transactions were not the doings of men 
governed by and walking in accordance with that unerring Spirit which 
true Friends have always looked to as their safe and wisdom-giving 
guide ; but that they were the doings, partly, of men who had departed 
from a practical unison with this ancient faith of the Society, and were 
prepared unscrupulously to adopt any necessary measures to put down 
all opposition to the favorite modernizer of its faith; and partly, of 
those who, not abiding in the light, but placing implicit reliance on the 
leaders of the people, knew not what spirit such were of, and blindly 
followed their dictation. So that the occurrence of these sorrowful 
events shows the liability of unwatchful man to wander from this his 
sure Guide; and should not be considered as militating against our 
great principle of the infallibility of the pure dictates of the Holy 
Spirit in man, as the primary rule of faith and practice ; but rather as 
confirmatory of that great and necessary Christian doctrine, when we 
see the gross errors into which those are led, who, having once known 
it, have departed therefrom, and become practically opposers of that 
great truth. 

The attentive reader of his Journal may easily perceive, that John 
Wilbur was slow to realize the fact of so great and complete a defection 
as was forced upon his belief in the course of successive events. The 
reality came upon him gradually, though unexpectedly, and with awful 
and grievous weight, while travelling in the ministry in Great Britain ; 
and his sad forebodings were afterwards amply confirmed, in witnessing 
the schism which occurred in the Society there a very few years later, 
and subsequently in feeling and experiencing, in his own trials, such 
conduct on the part of the prominent members, as could only be ac- 
counted for on the ground of their degeneracy in principle from the 
faith of their forefathers. 

During his protracted trials on account of his faithful testimony 
against error, the minds of many friends of kindred views and feelings 
in various parts of the Society, were turned towards him in true sym- 
pathy ; and many valuable letters, expressive of their close unity with 
him in his sufferings, from some of the most eminently gifted and 
spiritually minded servants of the Lord, both in Europe and America, 
were from time to time received, to the encouragement of his deeply 
afflicted mind. The attention of the reader is particularly invited to that 
portion of these letters, selected for the present publication. A large 



10 INTRODUCTION. 

number of similar letters have been omitted at present for the sake of 
brevity. It will be perceived that the writers of these letters saw eye 
to eye with him in regard to the state of things in the Society, and 
regarded themselves as fellow-sufferers with him for the testimony of 
Jesus ; according to the declaration of the apostle, " if one member 
suffer, all the [living] members suffer with it." These letters came to 
him as " a brook by the way ; " often reaching him at times of deep 
dejection, when the enemy was permitted to come in as a flood, and his 
faith was almost ready to fail ; and were eminently serviceable, through 
the divine blessing, in keeping his head above the billows, by which he 
felt himself in danger at such times of being overwhelmed. Compara- 
tively few of his own letters to his friends have been accessible for the 
present volume ; they being very much scattered, and many of the 
recipients of his correspondence having been in distant lands, or since 
removed by death, and their papers fallen into the hands of those who, 
leavened into the new views, or influenced by others who are so, have 
been reluctant to give them up for publication. 

John TVilbur was a man of a clear and energetic intellect, and known 
and esteemed throughout his native State of Rhode Island, for remark- 
able uprightness and integrity. In his example he adorned the doctrine 
which he professed, maintaining in an eminent degree, consistency in 
life and conduct, walking in humility and in the fear of the Lord ; and 
was ever ready to advise and assist any whom he saw to be in difficulty 
and distress. And his sound and discriminating mind being divinely 
strengthened and enlightened, and his spiritual " senses exercised by 
reason of use " and long experience, he was often called upon, and in 
many such cases was greatly serviceable, both within his own Society 
and without. 

As a minister of the Gospel, he was earnest in persuasion, and sound 
in doctrine beyond the power of his enemies to gainsay. The impor- 
tance of a living experimental acquaintance with the truths of Chris- 
tianity — the spirituality and heart-cleansing excellency of the gospel 
dispensation, and its superiority over that of the law — the opening of 
the Holy Scriptures in and by Christ Jesus, the true Light — and the 
necessity, in order to a true understanding of them, to believe in and 
give heed unto Him who "hath the key of David," and who still 
teacheth as never man taught, and is alone able to preserve his obedient 
children from the wiles of the enemy — were truths much dwelt upon 



INTRODUCTION. 11 

by him, and constituted the distinguishing features of his public testi- 
monies in gospel ministry. 

In his family, he held forth an example worthy to be followed as he 
followed Christ. His words were few and savory, and his conversation, 
though lively, yet weighty and instructive, calculated to lead the minds 
of his children to the only true source of happiness, and away from the 
snares and temptations of the world. He was frequently concerned to 
call them together for religious opportunities in waiting on the Lord ; 
wherein he was often led to minister to their conditions, in gospel 
authority. 

He was indeed no formalist ; yet was he truly sensible of the great 
value of the Christian discipline established by our worthy forefathers, 
and was deeply concerned that it should be maintained in its integrity, 
intrusted to clean hands, and administered in the true life which alone 
can give it efficacy. And as he was no formalist, so also was he no 
innovator or latitudinarian. The ancient paths, " the straight gate and 
the narrow way," were broad enough for him ; in them he was con- 
cerned to live, and in them he was found faithful unto death. "When 
brought under suffering and distress for his allegiance to his Lord and 
Master, he was enabled to endure it without murmuring or complain- 
ing, and without reviling again ; often saying that he regretted he was 
not more worthy to suffer in such a cause. 

Depending, in humble trust and confidence, on the Divine guidance, 
and regarding less than many of his cotemporaries the favor and 
applause of men, he was endued with a clear view of the real state of 
things in the professing church, and of the " mystery of iniquity " which 
still worketh ; and continuing through heights and depths to live near 
to the blessed Fountain of all good, he was mercifully preserved through 
all his trials, and enabled to bring honor to the name of Israel's God, 
by his faithful dedication to the end of his days. 

After the separation of the Gurney party from Friends in New 
England, he continued livingly engaged in the service of the Gospel, 
earnestly concerned for the building up of the remnant that had escaped, 
and for their establishment upon " the Rock of Ages." He was diligent 
in his calling, going in and out among them with watchful zeal and 
humble dedication, though far beyond the boundary of threescore years 
and ten ; and several times was concerned to travel beyond the limits 
of his own Yearly Meeting, and once more across the Atlantic, as will 



12 INTRODUCTION. 

appear in his Journal ; and very sweet and acceptable were these his 
visits in the love of the Gospel, to such as were truly and without dis- 
simulation, of like precious faith. Thus was he enabled " to bring 
forth fruit in old age," to the honor of the Great Husbandman ; and 
maintaining with unflinching firmness and integrity the position assigned 
him in the church militant, he was qualified to say with the apostle, 
" I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at 
hand ; I have fought a good fight ; I have kept the faith." His own 
expressions to an intimate friend who visited him about two weeks 
before his last illness, were, with much sweetness, meekness, and calm- 
ness : " I do not see that much further service will be called for at my 
hands ; and I feel like one quietly waiting for the dismissal." This he 
often appeared fully aware was nigh at hand, and spoke of it as a 
change which he not only looked for, but desired. 

In the conclusion, he was favored with a short illness ; and though 
advanced to the age of nearly eighty-two years, his mental faculties 
and outward vision were scarcely impaired ; so that it might almost 
be said of him as it was of an eminent servant of the Lord formerly, 
" his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated." He was blessed 
with a clear sense to the last, and with a calm view of the good land 
before him ; and thus in great peace, and at a good old age, he de- 
parted, and rests from his labors, and his works do follow him. 

And now, in view of his dedicated life and tribulated path — of his 
marvellous preservation therein, and of his truly peaceful close, the 
hearts of many are made to overflow with gratitude to the God and 
Father of all our sure mercies, in that He deigned to be with him in 
the furnace ,of affliction, carried him safely through all his conflicts, and 
in the end gave him the victory, causing his sun to go down with a 
brightness animating and encouraging to succeeding generations. 



PRELIMINARY CHAPTER. 



John Wilbur was the son of Thomas and Mary Wilbur, of Hop- 
kinton, in the State of Rhode Island, and was born there on the 17th 
of the 7th month, 1774. His parents were religiously concerned to 
bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, in 
accordance with the principles of the religious Society of Friends, of 
which they were exemplary members. 

It is to be regretted that few particulars of his early life can now be 
collected, and that, in his own account, he alluded to this period with 
but a passing remark ; perhaps owing to his natural aversion to speak- 
ing much in regard to himself. 

It appears that from his youth upwards he was sober and religiously 
inclined ; and was indeed remarkable for his decorum and gravity at 
an early age ; being concerned for the prosperity of truth, and meas- 
urably qualified to advocate the principles of Friends, when but a boy. 
When he was ten years of age, hearing an individual advance sen- 
timents which he thought were not according to the doctrines of the 
New Testament, he so ably expressed and defended his own faith and 
understanding of the Holy Scriptures, as to put the man to silence, 
who afterwards expressed his astonishment that so young a boy should 
be so qualified with capacity. When still younger than this, a pro- 
fessor of another religious persuasion meeting him, abruptly accosted 
him with the query : " Who is head of your church ? " To which he 
promptly replied : " Christ ; " and the man said no more. 

The religious concern of his parents, not only to advise and instruct 
their children, but also to restrain them in a Christian spirit from things 
which they believed to be inconsistent with the truth, and the blessed 
effect attendant on this godly parental care, were often adverted to by 
him in after-life, as cause for great thankfulness, with the expression 
2 



14 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

also of a fear, that in this day of great liberty and laxity, too many 
were neglecting their offspring in this respect, and not adrninistering 
suitable counsel and restraint. On this account he was often brought 
into exercise and travail for the dear youth ; and his concern for their 
right bringing up never appeared to be in any degree abated, but rather 
increased to the end of his days. It may here be mentioned, as closely 
connected with the above remarks, (though out of date,) that within 
two years of his decease, at his own Quarterly Meeting of Jihode 
Island, having requested to have the shutters opened between the 
men's and women's meetings, he held forth, in an impressive and 
memorable manner, the great importance of maintaining all our testi- 
monies, enlarging in expression to the beloved young people, but par- 
ticularly pressing upon parents the right training of their children, 
earnestly and in great brokenness, even unto tears, exhorting them to 
seek for ability, through Divine help, to keep their children within the 
safe enclosure ; reminding them of the necessity not only of good 
example and precept, but of restraint also ; that children cannot realize 
the danger of breaking through the hedge, and if allowed to do so, the 
sad result would be chargeable to such parents ; adding that he could 
not be clear without thus expostulating with them, seeing that it might 
be the last opportunity he should have, and desiring to be clear of the 
blood of all. The effect was deeply impressire, and the opportunity 
memorable to those present. 

At the age of eighteen, he commenced to teach school, and followed 
that occupation more or less for several years, to the satisfaction of 
those who employed him. In a letter written by him about this time 
to a friend, his remarks on the need of strict watchfulness and faith in 
Christ Jesus, in connection with the responsible duties of a teacher, 
exhibit a maturity of sentiment and experience far beyond his years. 

In the year 1793 he was united in marriage to Lydia, daughter 
of Amos and Thankful Collins, of Stonington, Connecticut ; a union 
which continued in unabated harmony and affection nearly sixty years. 
In the early part of his married life, he had many trials and conflicts, 
being in limited pecuniary circumstances, and his health for several 
years being somewhat delicate; which caused him at times to labor 
under much discouragement in regard to a due provision for the comfort 
of his increasing family. And he has been heard to say that in his 
first setting out in the world, there were times when he had some desire 
for accumulating property, but that all his undertakings with this view 
were unsuccessful ; and he believed it was so ordered in divine wisdom, 
and designed to him as a blessing. Yet was he favored with ability 
from time to time " to provide things honest in the sight of all men," 
experiencing the promise fulfilled which was given to them who seek 



PRELIMINARY CHAPTER. 15 

first the kingdom of heaven and the righteousness thereof, that all things 
needful should be added. 

He was appointed to the station of Elder, at the age of twenty-eight 
years, some time previous to his appearing in public ministry. Great 
mental conflict was his portion before he came forth in this weighty 
service. While under the preparing Hand, he had a lingering illness 
of several months' duration ; wherein his medical attendant and friends 
feared he was going into a decline ; but he manifested great composure 
and resignation, remarking to his wife, that his dependence was not on 
physicians for help, but on Him who was able to restore, if in his 
wisdom He saw fit. His trials, doubtless, had a deepening effect on his 
mind, and were sanctified to his growth and establishment in the blessed 
Truth, and to the promotion of his subsequent usefulness. Soon after 
his recovery, he appeared in the ministry, to the satisfaction of his 
friends ; and continuing faithful and watchful, his gift was officially 
acknowledged by his Monthly and Quarterly Meetings, in the year 
1812. 



JOURNAL, ETC 



CHAPTER I. 

ACCOUNT OF HIS ENGAGEMENTS IN THE MINISTRY FROM 1819 TO 1822. 

In 1819, I left home on fourth day, the 20th of 10th mo., 
in order to attend the meetings generally in this [Rhode 
Island] and Smithfield Quarterly Meetings. I got to Paul 
Coffin's in Coventry, and next day I met Abel Collins and 
wife at Foster, where we attended Friends' Meeting to a good 
degree of satisfaction. After dining with John Ailsworth, 
we rode six miles to Benjamin Arnold's, and lodged. The 
next day we rode to Friends' Meeting at Coventry, which 
ended pretty well ; dined at Perez Peck's, and then rode to 
a meeting appointed for us at a Methodist meeting-house in 
Cranston, which was a painful meeting, and we left without 
much relief. Stayed that night with Amos Collins ; and the 
next day, with him and children in company, went ten miles 
to a meeting appointed for us at Scituate ; which was dull 
at first, and pretty long silent, but through deep wading we 
were at length favored to experience the stone rolled from the 
well's mouth, and water sprang up, I believe to the refreshing 
of many minds. We dined at Elihu Bowen's, and after a 
family sitting rode six miles to William Green's and lodged. 
First day the 24th, we went to Providence, and attended two 
meetings there ; dined at David Anthony's, and lodged at 
Jabez Anthony's, out of town. On second day morning we 

2* 



18 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

went to see the children of our worthy deceased friend Job 
Scott, and had a little solid opportunity with them ; after 
which we went to Attleborough in order to attend a meet- 
ing to-morrow at Cumberland. On third day we attended 
Friends' Meeting at Cumberland, and in the afternoon attend- 
ed a meeting appointed for us at a place called Cumberland 
Hill, in which the doctrines of final perseverance, unconditional 
election, and universal salvation, were treated on, and ability 
was mercifully afforded to relieve our minds. We were after- 
wards informed that there were some present who were en- 
deavoring to satisfy themselves under each of these opinions. 
Fourth day attended Providence Monthly Meeting, held at 
lower Smithfield, about seven miles from the last-named 
meeting — quite satisfactory. 

28th. Fifth day. We went to Smithfield Monthly Meeting, 
which we attended to good satisfaction ; sixth day attended 
Uxbridge Monthly Meeting, where the business was well con- 
ducted ; we lodged at Richard Mowry's ; and on seventh day 
attended the select meeting in the morning, and a meeting 
appointed for us at Douglass in the afternoon, and came 
to Josiah Shove's at night. 31st. First day. We went seven 
miles in the morning to attend the upper meeting at Mendon, 
where many other people were gathered, to whom divers of 
our doctrines were largely opened. Then rode four miles to 
Samuel Smith's, near whose house is the lower meeting- 
house in Mendon, where we had a savory good meeting this 
afternoon. On second day we travelled to Mansfield, eighteen 
miles, where we had an open meeting in the afternoon, in 
which the doctrines of baptism, unconditional election, the 
ministry, &c, were treated on. We lodged at the Widow 
Skinner's, a convinced woman, and very kind. On third day 
we went to Taunton and attended their meeting, in which we 
had some pretty close searching service, mostly I believe for 
the members of our Society. In the afternoon rode towards 
Swansey, and lodged at Benjamin Buffinton's, in Dighton. 
Fourth day, 3d. We went to Somerset, and attended the select 
meeting, and on fifth day attended the Quarterly Meeting. 
Sixth day, 5th. This afternoon went to Fall River, and attended 
a meeting there at three o'clock. Seventh day attended a 
small meeting at Tiverton, and after meeting went to Ben- 



VISIT TO NEW HAMPSHIRE AND MAINE. 19 

jarnin Freeborn's on Rhode Island ; on our way visited 
Sarah Tucker. First day, attended Portsmouth Meeting, after 
which we attended one meeting on the Island to good satis- 
faction. On the 9th we went to Freetown, twenty-three 
miles, and had a meeting in the evening at a village called 
Assonet, in which we were favored with strength to relieve 
our minds among the people. 10th. Attended their meeting 
at Freetown, and after meeting rode eleven miles to William 
Earle's and lodged. 11th. Attended their meeting at Somer- 
set ; notice being given, and there being a funeral also, the 
meeting was large, in which some of the doctrines of the 
Gospel were clearly opened, best help being mercifully afford- 
ed ; had a meeting in the evening at a little village called 
Swansey Factory, which was an open time. On the 12th we 
went to Providence, visited Friends' Boarding School, and 
had a religious opportunity with the superintendents, instruc- 
tors, and children collectively, to good satisfaction. 

[By the remaining memoranda of this visit, it appears that 
they went homeward from Providence, taking several meetings 
on their way, and appointing some among those not Friends ; 
which were to good satisfaction, although the latter were 
among people little acquainted with spiritual worship. 

They reached home on the 17th of 11th mo., 1819.] 

10th mo., 29th, 1820. Having obtained a certificate from 
my Monthly Meeting for the purpose, I this day left home to 
make a visit to Friends and others in the northern and eastern 
part of our Yearly Meeting ; and attended a meeting at 
Noose-Neck, in West Greenwich. The people, though civil, 
appeared to be unacquainted with silent spiritual worship ; 
they were directed to the substance of spiritual religion, and 
I was favored to labor with them to a good degree of satis- 
faction. Afternoon, attended a meeting at a school-house, 
about four miles from the former place, in which the parable 
of the prodigal son was alluded to, and much dwelt upon, 
and a state of unfaithfulness spoken to. 30th. Attended 
Greenwich Monthly Meeting held at Cranston, in which I 
had a short testimony, recommending attention to the angelic 
descending as at the Pool of Bethesda, in order for a right 



20 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

experience of that which has the healing virtue ; but these 
remarks seemed to be counteracted by another testimony 
which was afterwards offered, and I left the meeting with a 
heavy heart. 

After stopping one night with William Almy, (accompanied 
by Amos Collins as companion for the journey,) we went to 
Swansey, in order to attend the Quarterly Meeting, which 
was held on fourth and fifth days ; during the latter day I 
felt much depression of spirits in regard to my insufficiency 
for the work and service before me, yet through all my con- 
flicts I durst not look back, and all at length centered in a 
degree of resignation to my lot ; and having the sympathy 
and encouragement of several dear friends, I set out this 
morning, the 3d of 11th mo., with some degree of cheerful- 
ness, for Lynn ; travelled about thirty miles, and lodged at 
Sharon. 11th mo., Fourth. Had a meeting by appointment 
at Sewal Hodge's, and another the next day in the same 
town ; both of which, I think, were owned by the Helper of 
Israel. We lodged one night at the house of T. P., he and 
his wife being solid hopeful young Friends, to whom some 
encouragement was offered on our parting with them. The 
6th we went to Lynn, a distance of twenty-eight miles ; on 
the 7th, set out for Weare, N. H. ; made a stop at Goftstown, 
and arrived at Daniel Gove's this evening, seventy-five miles 
from Lynn. 

9th. Fifth day. Attended Weare Monthly Meeting at the 
north house, and returned to D. Gove's. 10th. Attended the 
south meeting ; I felt a good degree of peace to follow these 
two days labor. We went this afternoon to Henniker and 
lodged, and on the 11th, attended meeting here, wherein I had 
to speak closely and pressingly to some, who had slidden from 
the right ground, and squandered the good things which had 
been given them, with a feeling invitation to return to the 
father's house and say, " Father, I have sinned against heaven 
and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy 
son." After meeting I was told that there were two persons 
present who had been favored with a gift in the ministry, but 
by going too fast had been bewildered ; getting into an 
exalted state, they had left then standing and been disowned 
from the Society. How needful it is to watch and keep on 



VISIT TO NEW HAMPSHIEE AND MAINE. 21 

the ground of true humility! This was largely opened in 
this meeting, and strength was mercifully given to sound an 
alarm to such as had departed from it. We went this after- 
noon to Bow, and attended a meeting there in a school-house, 
with people mostly not of our Society; in which I had 
strength given me to declare the efficacy of the Gospel, acting 
as an inward teacher, showing the insufficiency of outward 
forms in effecting the work of true renovation ; and in conclu- 
sion I was favored in fervent supplication. 

At Gilmanton he wrote to his wife and children as fol- 
lows : — 

" "We arrived here about 8 o'clock last evening, and put up at the 
house of our kind friend Ezekiel Hoyt, with whom I had before been 
acquainted. Two days after leaving Lynn, we arrived at Weare, and 
have attended meeting every day since ; and although I have passed 
through some pretty deep wading, and my faith has been nearly tried 
at times with discouragements inwardly and outwardly, among which 
are the menaces of approaching winter, yet through all I have been 
mercifully supported with a little confidence that He who has called 
will enable me to go as far as He requires, and when the measure is 
filled up I shall be rejoiced, if permitted, to see you again, and all my 
dear friends at home ; but the prospect as yet continues open before 
me, and however I may have trials and difficulties to encounter, yet as 
I have experienced help, so far as I have gone, to be mercifully 
afforded in the needful time, I dare not cherish a disposition to despair 
of its continuation ; so I commit myself, with all that is near and dear, 
to his holy care and keeping, desiring that He may preserve us all in 
the way which will lead to an immortal crown." 

First day, 12th. Attended Friends' Meeting at Concord, 
which, though small, was in a good degree favored. Here we 
parted with Johnson Page and wife, and several other Friends 
from Henniker and Weare, who had attended these last two 
meetings. We travelled this afternoon in company with 
Josiah Rogers, to Pittsfield. 13th. Attended meeting here, 
and had a religious opportunity with a number of Friends, 
where it seemed to be my place to treat a little on the neces- 
sity of a close attention to the openings of truth in the exer- 
cise of the Gospel ministry. We had some reason to believe 
that things were out of order among them in regard to the 
ministry. We went this afternoon and evening to Gilman- 



22 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

ton (thirty miles from Concord) by way of Pittsfield, where 
we had a meeting next day, in which Truth gained the ascen- 
dency and was raised into dominion, and the universality of 
Divine love was fully set forth. 15th. This evening had a 
meeting at a school-house near Center Harbor. On going to 
this meeting I felt unusually cast down with weakness and 
poverty of spirit, as much so, perhaps, as I ever experienced ; 
but after sitting down, and a short time of silence, way opened 
for some communication, and strength began to be added, 
and a clearer opening of the doctrines of the Gospel has sel- 
dom, if ever, been by me experienced, or a more immediate 
change from great weakness to that of a degree of fulness in 
the Lord's strength ; and it was marvellous in mine eyes, for 
his arm was made bare for our help, and my heart was made 
joyful and thankful for his merciful favors. 

16th. We went to Sandwich and attended their Monthly 
Meeting, in which I had to call the attention of Friends to the 
necessity of our hearkening to the Lord in preference to 
Moses, citing, " This is my beloved Son, hear him : " with 
some further enlargement. After I sat down, and after it ap- 
peared to be about time to close the sitting, there were several 
appearances in the meeting, which to my mind had not a right 
savor ; after which I was constrained to stand upon my feet 
and offer a caution to those who step forward to lend a help- 
ing hand to the little ones, lest overdoing in this respect may 
unhappily cause them to place too much dependence on such, 
and deter them from a true dependence upon Him on whom 
" help is laid." These observations were offered in great sim- 
plicity and much good will, and several solid Friends men- 
tioned to me after meeting that the remarks were appropriate 
to the state of things among them, and satisfactory to their 
feelings. 17th. Attended their north meeting, and went to 
Cyrus Varney's, where we had an evening meeting with 
Friends and others ; this meeting was long silent and laborious, 
but ended to a good degree of satisfaction. 

18th. We parted with our friends Cyrus Beede and wife, 
who had been with us for two days past. We now set out in 
company with Benjamin Fry, for Parsonsfield, a distance of 
thirty miles. 19th. We had a meeting there with Friends and 
many others, and in the evening another at Limington, Maine, 



VISIT TO NEW HAMPSHIRE AND MAINE. 23 

ten miles farther on; this was a large meeting, many, not 
Friends, attending ; and although I was so much unwell that 
I felt doubtful about being able to sit this meeting through, yet 
I was favored to hold out, and had strength given to declare 
the doctrines of the Gospel beyond my expectation. 

20th. We travelled seventeen miles to Gorham, and lodged 
at Wm. Cobb's, where we had a meeting on the 21st, and 
another in the evening at Windham. In these two meetings 
I had some pretty close searching labor, and several states 
were opened and spoken to. 22d. Went seventeen miles to 
Poland. 23d. Had a little meeting there with a few simple- 
hearted Friends and friendly people, to whom the language of 
encouragement flowed freely. In the afternoon we travelled 
thirteen miles to Lewistown, and on the 24th, near this place, 
we crossed the Androscoggin River by boat, below the Falls, 
about forty miles above its mouth ; the waters of this large 
river rudely tumble down a precipice of rugged rocks, and fall 
(as the boatman told us) fifty feet in a short distance. Here 
we had a highly favored meeting, wherein the fall of man, 
and his restoration and redemption through our Lord Jesus 
Christ, were pretty fully set forth. 

The following is an extract from a letter to his wife 
written at this place : — 

" Since I last wrote thee at Gilmanton we have attended a number of 
meetings, the distance between some of which was a day's ride. The 
travelling has been bad, occasioned by the snow, the melting of which 
now makes the ways rather heavy ; yet we have persevered with all 
diligence, and on the whole have been much favored, having enjoyed, 
most of the time, good health. We have not been hindered at all on 
that account, and no accident has befallen us. Notwithstanding I have 
felt sometimes like a stranger in a strange land, yet as the way has 
been opened before me, and ability given to pursue, I have not the 
least reason to doubt but my being here is in the ordering of Truth, 
and indeed best help has been mercifully extended ; and as I have 
endeavored to keep low and humble, I have, to my own admiration, 
received a gracious supply of help, in which I have been favored with 
mouth and wisdom, tongue and utterance ; for which all the praise is 
everlastingly due to the great G-iver." 

In the afternoon we went to Leeds, a distance of twelve 
miles, and lodged. 25th. Had a painful meeting here, under 



24 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

a strong apprehension that things were not right among them 
by reason of a worldly and lukewarm spirit. I had some 
pretty close labor, but it seemed very difficult to reach the 
witness in them, for the seed appeared to be under great 
oppression in some of their hearts. We left them with 
heaviness, and travelled this afternoon fourteen miles to 
Winthrop. 

First day, 26th. We attended meeting there, which consisted 
mostly of those not in membership with us. The doctrine 
of Gospel light, its universality, and the insufficiency of out- 
ward ordinances, were pretty fully opened, and help was 
mercifully afforded, so that the truth in a good degree rose 
into dominion. 

27th. In company with several Friends we went to a place 
called the Forks, and held a little meeting, and thence, in 
the afternoon, to George Ramsdell's, on the Kennebec River, 
where we had a meeting with his family and some Methodist 
people, which was very satisfactory. 

28th. We passed through Hallo well, crossed the Kennebec 
at Augusta, and went to Vassalborough, lodging at our kind 
friend Moses Sleeper's, who with his wife are valuable Friends. 
29th, had a meeting here, which was satisfactory ; and here 
we left our horse and chaise, and were furnished with saddle 
horses to ride, while we were visiting the meetings on the 
east side of the river. On the 30th, in company with Moses 
Sleeper and wife, we attended the Pond meeting, which we 
thought a quiet and favored one ; and in the afternoon, with 
John Nichols for pilot, we went ten miles to China. 

12th mo. 1st. We had a meeting at Friends' meeting-house, 
to pretty good satisfaction ; and afterwards an evening meet- 
ing at a place called the Branch. 2d. Rode twenty miles 
to a place called Unity ; here we had an evening meeting at 
a school-house, with some Friends and Baptist people ; in 
which the doctrines of truth were pretty fully opened, but the 
usefulness of the meeting was in some degree hurt near the 
close by an offering of a Baptist preacher, although he did 
not gainsay anything which had been said. 

First day, 3d. We rode eight miles to Fairfield and had a 
meeting with Friends and Baptists, in which I was led to 
speak pretty fully on Baptism, much to my own, and I believe 



VISIT TO NEW HAMPSHIRE AND MAINE. 25 

to my friends' satisfaction. We dined with our dear friend 
John Warren at his house, and rode this evening fifteen miles, 
to Moses Sleeper's. 

From Vassalborough he wrote to his wife and children as 
follows : — 

" I have yet had no information from home since I left, which has 
occasioned some uneasiness ; I wrote home from Lewistown, and have 
since had many meetings in this section, and having reached the ex- 
treme point of our prospect, have set our faces homeward. We were 
yesterday at Fairfax and dined with our beloved friend John Warren. 

" We are in tolerable health, but have been often heavy-hearted since 
I last wrote, partly occasioned by an account brought from Providence 
by a Friend at Leeds of an accident which he heard happened at the 
former place the seventh day after our Quarterly Meeting; from which 
and some other circumstances, we were not without fears that it was 
our mother and one or more of our children who were injured. This 
has been a sore trial to us ; yet as the Friend knew nothing of who it 
was, and as it was but a flying report, we saw no way but to pursue 
our journey as the way opened before us ; and although my mind has 
been deeply weighed down under the most trying conflict that I ever 
experienced, yet as I have endeavored to submit all to the Divine dis- 
posal, and give up to make whatever sacrifice my Master may require, 
I have found his gracious hand to be my support, and his help to be 
near at those seasons when I was brought to the work of turning the 
battle to the gate." 

12th mo. 4th. We took leave of our friends at Vassal- 
borough, and resumed our travels by chaise ; and after a little 
visit in several Friends' families, we called to see Joseph Doug- 
lass of Durham, who was confined with sickness at Joshua 
Fry's in this place. Then proceeding on our journey, we 
crossed the Kennebec on the ice, Joseph Howland bearing us 
company; came to David Purinton's at Sidney, and put 
up for the night. 5th. We attended their meeting there, 
wherein I had close searching labor, to the great relief of my 
mind ; and after meeting went nine miles to Augusta, a large 
village on the Kennebec, where a meeting was appointed for 
us in the court-house. A highly-favored meeting it was, in 
which strength was given to declare the gospel of life and 
salvation, to my own admiration, though claiming nothing to 
myself. After meeting we went to Hallowell with Harvey 
Chace, and had a meeting there in the evening of the next 
3 



26 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

day ; in which there appeared to be such a resistance in 
the minds of the people to us and our doctrines, that it 
seemed difficult to make much impression upon them. I had 
a pretty long combat with them, and it would sometimes 
seem that we might get a victory over their strong wills ; 
again they would reinforce in such a manner as almost to 
suppress everything that was good ; then, again, a new point 
of doctrine w 7 ould come before me with some degree of clear- 
ness, and a little help afforded, and this also as it crossed their 
strong opinions excited a new effort in their minds, and 
they would again resist with their warlike weapons; and 
finally, I was ready to conclude, we could do no more 
than come off on even ground; for although the ground was 
taken and retaken, yet I had not much hope that we left them 
better off than we found them. A great weight of exercise 
attended my mind on going to this meeting ; and this exer- 
cise was no less my lot after meeting than before. Yet I was 
a little borne up on reflecting that Paul was unsuccessful at 
Ephesus, when the people unitedly cried, " Great is Diana of 
the Ephesians ! " We were almost in like manner straitened 
in our minds with their united determination to stand by 
their religious tenets; for although they spake not with their 
tongues in the meeting, still it was plainly to be felt that they 
clave to their own stronghold and resisted our doctrine. Yet, 
after all, we were not without a little hope that there might 
be a few minds present in some degree benefited by the 
meeting. 

7th. We went to Litchfield (eighteen miles from Augusta) 
and had a meeting with Friends there, and in the evening 
one at a school-house near by. Here a preacher of the Bap- 
tists attended, and after we had been sitting some time in 
silence, while the meeting was gathering, he claimed an ap- 
pointment which he said he had previously made at this place 
and at this time ; and continued, that if Friends had nothing 
to offer, he would now^ proceed. I informed him that we had 
no knowledge of his appointment, or we should not have 
made an attempt to hold a meeting here at this time ; but if 
he had no objections, as we were strangers, w^e w^ould like to 
have the conducting of the meeting. He said no more, and 
I soon stood upon my feet with the subjects of the ministry 



VISIT TO NEW HAMPSHIRE AXD MAINE. 27 

and divine worship, which had sprung in my mind and were 
opening before the conversation took place ; and although he 
and the people did not understand the necessity of silent 
waiting in order for a right qualification for either, yet as the 
subjects were treated on, a solemnity began to cover the meet- 
ing, and, in course, divers other subjects opened in the life, 
and were enlarged upon, and a heavenly time it was, and 
concluded in solemn supplication. After we felt clear, I men- 
tioned that the service of the meeting was over on our part ; 
and the meeting broke up without anything further being 
said by this preacher about his appointment. 

8th. To-day we travelled twenty-five miles, crossed the 
Androscoggin on the ice, and went to Durham to lodge. 
9th. We had a meeting by appointment at Pownal with 
Friends, to satisfaction. We had the company, at this meet- 
ing, of Thomas Jones, and returned with him to Durham and 
lodged at his house. Our valued friend Joseph Howland 
travelled with us from his own home to Litchfield, where we 
parted with him at Noah Farr's, who bore us company to 
Durham, carrying one of us in his sleigh. First day, 10th. We 
attended their meeting at Durham, which is considered the 
largest meeting of Friends below Lynn. I had good service 
in this meeting. 11th. Went back over the Androscoggin, 
and had an evening meeting at Lisbon, near its banks. In 
this meeting, although there was a kind of resistance felt, yet 
the testimony, after a long struggle in silence, arose, and the 
Truth was brought into dominion over gainsayers. 12th. 
Went up the river about five miles, in company with several 
Friends, and had a meeting at a place called the Bend ; — this 
meeting was also pretty long silent ; but as we were engaged 
to dwell low, and keep to the Fountain of wisdom, way 
opened for labor ; and the subjects of baptism, Christ's spir- 
itual coming, the ministry, and divine worship were treated 
on, in the retrospect of which we had peace. After meeting 
we returned to John Collins's, and dined ; then went home 
with our friend Stephen Jones and lodged ; and on the 13th, 
in company with S. Jones and wife, went to John Winslow's, 
near Falmouth. 

14th. In company with the aforesaid Friends and J. W. 
and wife, we went to Portland, and attended their mid-week 



28 ' JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

meeting, which was very small, and appointed another in the 
evening, which was interrupted by a Baptist preacher for a 
time, but after getting a little settled, I had good service 
therein. 15th. Went to Cape Elizabeth, and appointed a 
meeting there, which we attended to good satisfaction, and in 
this and the day following, visited some relatives in that 
vicinity. 

Here he wrote to his wife as follows : — 

" We arrived the day before yesterday at Portland, where I found a 
letter from thee for the first time, dated 15 th, of 11th mo. I had pre- 
pared my mind as well as possible to hear the worst, and how was I 
rejoiced to find that you were then all in usual health ; insomuch that if 
I had not been in company, the emotions which I felt would have brought 
a flood of tears from my eyes. I rejoiced, and gave thanks to the God 
and father of all my mercies, and thy tender expressions caused my 
cup to overflow. We are making progress on our sea-board route 
homeward-bound, which truly looks pleasant, and we have great cause 
to acknowledge the favors of Divine Providence ; He hath in wisdom 
given me some bitter draughts for my humiliation, and then again, as 
at the present, has caused my cup to overflow with his precious love. 
We are now in good health, for us, for which I desire to be truly 
thankful ; and may that Hand which hath hitherto helped us, be thy 
support, bear up thy mind through every conflict and keep thee and 
the children under his gracious protection." 

First day, 17th. Attended Friends' Meeting at Falmouth, 
and many other people being notified, attended also ; in which 
the Law state and Gospel state were compared and much 
enlarged upon, and the subject of baptism explained. After- 
noon we went to Gray, and had an evening meeting there to 
good satisfaction, and lodged with our dear uncle George 
Dake, who was greatly rejoiced to see us. 18th. Proceeding, 
we went to Scarborough, where we had a little meeting with 
the few Friends in the place, and some others, in which the 
insufficiency of mere human reasoning in order to a right 
understanding of Divine things, was pointed out, and it was 
shown that faith in the spiritual manifestation, as well as 
that in the outward coming of Christ, is of the highest im- 
portance to us, in order to receive the benefit thereof, and to 
experience a real change of heart by his power, and that there 
is none other name or power under heaven whereby we can 



VISIT TO NEW HAMPSHIRE AND MAINE. 29 

be saved. We were afterwards informed that there was a 
man present who had imbibed principles of infidelity, or a 
disbelief of the Christian religion. We travelled twenty- 
eight miles this afternoon and evening to Berwick. 

Fourth day, 20th. Went to Oak Woods, and attended an 
evening meeting there, which was rather a painful one. 21st. 
Attended their preparative meeting at Berwick, which was 
long silent, but way was at length made for a little lively 
labor among them ; after which there was something offered 
by a young man present who belongs to no Society ; his ap- 
pearance was plain, and his doctrine sound, and I think did 
not hurt the meeting ; I left it with much satisfaction and 
peace. After calling a little to see the children of our late 
friend Paul Rogers, we went this afternoon, in company with 
Joshua Jenkins and wife, to Dover. 

22d. Proceeded to Rochester, where we had a small meet- 
ing, and returned to Dover. Had an evening meeting there 
at Friends' meeting-house, which was attended by many 
other people ; in which the original and present state of man 
were compared, showing that the same Divine intelligence 
which made a distinction between right and wrong to our 
first parents, is evidently communicated to the human mind 
in the present day. 

23d. In company with Wm. Brown and daughter, went to 
Seabrook, twenty-two miles, and on first day, the 24th, we 
attended their meeting, which was small and silent. The 
25th, travelled thirty miles to Salem, and on the 26th, had a 
meeting there in the afternoon, and next day went to Lynn, 
and attended their week-day meeting. In these two meet- 
ings the necessity of watchfulness against the subtle tempta- 
tions of the enemy was pressingly spoken of. This after- 
noon, and next day, the 28th, visited several of our relatives 
and dear friends in a social way, and on the 29th, took leave 
of them and proceeded on our way towards Providence, 
arriving at the School next day, the 30th ; and after making a 
little visit to the superintendents and instructors, came to 
Amos Collins's home, where I lodged. First day, the 31st, I 
went with Beriah Collins to Old Warwick, and attended 
their meeting, (which is held monthly,) to good satisfaction, 
and the ensuing day, 1st mo., 1st, 1821, I went to Greenwich 
3* 



30 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

Monthly Meeting, held at Cranston ; in which I had some 
service in the Gospel, and after meeting, returned to Amos 
Collins's. 2d. I arrived at home and found my dear wife and 
children all well ; for whose preservation, as well as my own, 
I felt truly thankful to Him whose hand had been mercifully 
round about us for our support. I travelled in this journey 
by computation eight hundred and sixty-seven miles ; was 
absent two months and five days, and attended fifty-nine 
meetings. I passed through many close and trying exercises, 
but through Divine favor, was enabled to endure them in a 
good degree of patience and resignation ; and can do no less 
than acknowledge that help was afforded in the needful time, 
as I was disposed to wait for it ; and also that the peace and 
satisfaction which I felt from time to time, as well as at the 
present time, is more than an ample reward for all my labors. 



Having had a concern upon my mind, for a considerable 
length of time, to visit the people in Gospel love, in some 
parts of Connecticut, the Western part of Massachusetts, and 
the Eastern part of the State of New York, I obtained a cer- 
tificate from my Monthly and Quarterly Meetings for that 
purpose, and left home 12th mo., 13th, 1821, accompanied by 
our friend Othniel Foster ; Ethan Foster also going with us 
to Hartford, where we arrived on the 15th, at evening. First 
day, 16th. We attended Friends' Meeting at West Hartford, 
in which it appeared that vital religion was in rather a low 
state with some present ; with these I was led into a pretty 
close inquiry, exhorting them to a strict examination of their 
own state and condition, for I had to believe that some of 
them had known better days than the present ; and however 
painful the sensation, I felt my mind in a good degree re- 
lieved. We dined at Simeon Arnold's, and had a religious 
opportunity with him and wife, and returned this evening to 
the city. 18th. Had an evening meeting at Wethersfield, 
among Presbyterians, Baptists, and Methodists ; most of 
whom appeared very unsettled, and to have but little sense of 
vital religion, talking and whispering during the short time of 
silence, if silence it might be called ; and it appeared that 



VISIT TO CONNECTICUT, NEW YORK, ETC. 31 

some looked upon us with ridicule ; one got up and went out, 
saying, as he passed us, " he did not believe the spirit would 
move to-night, and he would stay no longer." I labored 
among them, endeavoring to bring their minds to a little sol- 
emnity and a feeling after the Divine presence ; a few ap- 
peared in some degree to realize what was offered, but most 
of them I feared were lamentably ignorant of a right prepara- 
tion and exercise of mind for Divine worship. I left them 
rather heavily, having to mourn over their superficial con- 
dition. 

19th. We left Hartford, and went by the way of West 
Windsor to West Suffield, where we found it our place to 
propose a meeting. The proposition was cordially embraced 
by the people, and notice being given, the school-house was 
crowded with people mostly of the Presbyterian denomina- 
tion ; and considering there had never been a Friends' meet- 
ing here before, they gave great attention and sat very 
quietly, and a favored baptizing season we had together ; the 
doctrines of the Gospel, substantially as they are believed by 
us, were pretty largely set forth, and the meeting ended to 
satisfaction, with acknowledgments to Him who had helped 
us. Here a young woman, a Presbyterian, came to us after 
meeting and bid us "God speed;" she appeared to be an 
exercised woman, and of some experience. She made some 
inquiries respecting our principles, with which she seemed to 
be satisfied. 

20th. We continued our travel northward until we came 
opposite to Springfield, on the east side of the Connecticut 
River, when we thought we felt a secret inclination to turn 
that way ; which we accordingly did, and stopping to feed 
our horse, we fell into some conversation with a man on 
religious subjects, who was of the Congregational Society, 
but acknowledged to a directing principle in the heart, to 
which, he said, if we adhere, we shall be sure to do right. 
We distributed to him and several other young men present 
a number of our books, which they seemed eager to receive, 
and some of them would fain have paid us for them. There 
were also a number of young women in another room, who 
got knowledge of our being there, and sent us an invitation 
to come into their apartment and bring our books ; which we 



32 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUE. 

did, and let them select such as they chose ; they also offered 
to pay us, and gave us many thanks. We had by this time 
got rid of two thirds of all we had ; but as several of the re- 
ceivers lived in different parts at considerable distances, we did 
not regret parting with them, they also promising to spread 
them. Seeing this apparent desire and openness to receive 
and examine Friends' books, we regretted not having more in 
charge for distribution. As no way opened for a meeting 
here at this time, we felt inclined to go eastward, but seemed 
to go almost as if we knew not whither, and feeling ourselves 
as strangers in a strange land ; but after a time we found our- 
selves at a village in the town of Wilbraham, and seeing a 
man in the street, we asked him if he thought the people 
would be willing to come together to see some strangers. 
He put the blush upon me by asking if I was a preacher, and 
however indirect my answer, he gathered my meaning, and 
said he would consult his neighbors ; and further said, that if 
agreed to he would spread the information by the scholars, 
and inform us at the tavern (to which we were going) of his 
success ; but said he would not promise us much of a meet- 
ing. According to promise, he came and informed that a 
meeting was appointed for us at the school-house ; where we 
met with near two hundred people, and one of the ministers 
of the place with them. It proved to be a highly favored 
season, in which the doctrines of the Gospel flowed freely, 
and our hearts were comforted and confirmed in the almost 
unseen direction of our Holy Leader, in bringing us hither. 

21st. In conformity with an invitation last evening, we 
breakfasted this morning w T ith the Methodist minister of the 
place. From here we returned to Springfield, crossed the 
river, and travelled nine miles to Westfield ; where we felt 
desirous of a meeting in the evening, but by inquiring of our 
host, were informed that their Conference Meeting came in 
course this evening at the town-house, and that there was no 
other place to be had which would accommodate the people. 
However, he went out to consult the deacons, whether they 
would waive their conference ; who, as he told us, were will- 
ing to give way on their own part, but did not like to take the 
responsibility ; by further consultation, however, they agreed 
to get through with their services in about an hour, when we 



VISIT TO CONNECTICUT, NEW YORK, ETC. 33 

might have our meeting. We were accordingly invited by our 
landlord to go with him to the Conference. They prayed 
and sung, and then the Principal of the Academy was called 
upon to deliver a short sermon. He came forward, opened a 
book, and read over a crooked kind of Calvinistic discourse, 
yet couched in correct terms as to words ; after this, a deacon 
again prayed, and then said, " there was opportunity for the 
Friends present to speak to the people," but excused himself 
from staying, on account of special business. During the 
time that these things were passing, I endeavored to keep my 
mind as much retired as possible; but at best was in a 
stripped, if not, in an almost confounded situation in myself, 
having no prospect or view of any subject whatever on my 
mind ; but when the meeting fell into silence, a subject was 
soon presented to my view, and I ventured (however foolish I 
felt) to step forward ; and the opening gradually increased 
until it became a baptizing season, and the testimony of truth 
prevailed over all. The people (some of whom, as our host 
told us, before meeting, were afraid of us,) appeared now to 
be well satisfied, and I felt the incomes of sweet peace in this 
evening's sacrifice. Thus I find a full reduction of self is 
preparatory to my best seasons of labor, as well as to a greater 
enlargement and opening in the Gospel. 

23d. Went to Northampton village, and put up at an inn. 
As we felt desirous of a meeting here, we inquired of our host 
if he thought the people would be willing to come together 
and have a meeting with some strangers; he replied that he 
thought they would, but alluding to the leading characters, he 
said, " our people are pretty superstitious here," yet added, 
that he would go out and consult the deacons, and try to get 
the liberty of the school-house. After being gone a consider- 
able time, he returned with the information that they were 
not willing to encourage a meeting ; but that he and two or 
three more had hired a large hall near by, for the accommoda- 
tion of the meeting, and had notified it accordingly; which 
we attended, and it was a satisfactory time. First day, 24th. 
We had a meeting at a school-house, in the west part of 
Northampton, to satisfaction. 25th. We set out for New 
Lebanon, in the State of New York, a distance of about 
forty-five miles ; the travelling was bad, on account of the 



34 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

depth of the snow, and the path too narrow for our wheels ; 
and what made it still more laborious was, that the first 
twenty miles were very hilly and mountainous, so that our 
horse had enough to do, much of the way, to carry the empty 
chaise, and we to clamber up the steep ascents on our feet ; 
the path being very slippery, we felt the want of corks, but we 
were favored to reach Hazard Mory's at night. Next day we 
rested and I wrote to my family. 

27th. In company with brother H. M., wife, and daughter, 
we went to Adams, twenty-five miles, and lodged at Samuel 
Browning's. 28th. Had a meeting here at Friends' meeting- 
house, and in the evening at Joshua Mory's, Williamstown, 
in which I had some clear openings in regard to the coming of 
Christ's kingdom, and the doing of His will on earth as it is 
done in heaven ; a brief recapitulation of the progress of 
religion in the world, and that in proportion as man comes to 
the purity of the Gospel, his affection for outward things will 
diminish. 29th. Went to the Widow Gorton's, in Hancock, 
and had an evening meeting at her house, in which the man- 
ner of obtaining the saving knowledge of God was opened 
and fully treated on. A Baptist minister attended, and was 
quiet. 

30th. We had an appointed meeting in the village, in which 
our doctrines in regard to Divine worship, the ministry, bap- 
tism, and the supper were largely treated on. The minister 
aforesaid was again present, he and his hearers having given 
up their own meeting and attended ours ; they manifested no 
dissatisfaction, but sat quietly, and separated peaceably. This 
meeting was on the first day of the week ; and in the evening 
we had a meeting at Lebanon Pool, which was small on ac- 
count of the severity of the weather ; it was, however, satis- 
factory. 31st. Had another meeting at the same place this 
evening, to good satisfaction ; several Baptist people after 
meeting were inclined to have some conversation on the sub- 
ject of baptism, in which we indulged them, and parted 
friendly. 

1st mo., 1st, 1822. We set out from Hazard Mory's and 
went to John Collins's, at Chatham, where we were very 
affectionately received by him and wife. Here I was much 
out of health for several days, but was treated with the great- 



VISIT TO CONNECTICUT, NEW YOKK, ETC. 35 

est kindness and tenderness. I was, however, able to attend 
their meeting on fifth day, which was pretty large and satis- 
factory. On the same evening, we made a little visit to Syl- 
vanus Gardner, an aged friend, who is entirely blind; his 
company and conversation were savory. He and his daughter 
live together, to whom the language of encouragement flowed 
freely. 

While resting here at the house of his brother-in-law John 
Collins, he wrote a letter to his wife, from which the following 
is an extract : — 

" I have in the course of this visit experienced some seasons of great 
depression, and trial of faith ; wherein I have had sometimes to marvel 
that I should be out on such a service as this ; and again I have been 
renewed, and have appeared a little to myself, like one who had risen 
from the dead. I find that these descendings and ascendings prove as a 
check upon each other, and a regulating balance upon the mind. It is 
now three weeks since I left, and getting round so far has taken rather 
less time than I expected'; but how much time may be required to per- 
form the service before me, is yet uncertain. I affectionately greet you 
all, with breathing desires for your preservation every way." 

Seventh day, 4th. Went in company with brother J. C. and 
wife to Ghent, and lodged at Nathan Collins's ; here we had 
a favored meeting next day. 

6th. In company with several Friends, we went to Hudson, 
where, in the evening, we had a large meeting with Friends 
and the towns-people, in which the state of mankind in differ- 
ent ages of the world was alluded to ; showing that the legal 
dispensation, although adapted to the outward condition of 
mankind at that time, was not to continue ; but as men ad- 
vanced fully to the purity of the Gospel, outward and figura- 
tive observances are seen not to be essential ; — the meeting 
ended to good satisfaction. 7th. This evening, had a meet- 
ing at Claverack, where we had a favorable opportunity with 
the people, mostly Dutch, and not of our Society. Substan- 
tial religion was closely recommended, and the ill consequences 
of intemperance opened in a solemn manner. 8th. In com- 
pany with Benjamin Jenkins and wife, of Hudson, went to 
Little l^ine Partners, and lodged at Samuel Gritman's, where 
next day we had a favored meeting, and went, after it, to 
Jeremiah Browning's, and lodged ; here we stayed till first day 



36 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

morning, the 12th, when we went to Crura Elbow, and at- 
tended their meeting, which was silent till near the close, when 
I called their attention to the need of listening to the intima- 
tions of truth on the mind, rather than to be looking outward 
to hear the instructions of men. 13th. Had a meeting at the 
Creek, to good satisfaction, and attended another in the even- 
ing, at Stanford, which was attended by many of the Baptists, 
whose opposition to the doctrine which was delivered, seemed 
to run like a strong current against us, and made it hard work 
to get rightly forward amongst them ; but Friends appeared 
to be satisfied with the meeting. 14th. Went to Oswego and 
attended their monthly meeting, to a good degree of satisfac- 
tion. 15th. Attended the monthly meeting at Nine Partners, 
which I sat through in silence, having, at the same time, a fear 
attending my mind, that they had more preaching here than 
was profitable ; for I am confirmed in the belief, that more than 
is meet will have a tendency to draw away the attention of 
the people from the true place of waiting for instruction, even 
in their own hearts. 

17th. Accompanied by Eleazer Haviland, went to New 
Fairfield, in the State of Connecticut, and lodged at the 
house of his father, Isaac Haviland, near which we had a 
meeting next day, with Friends at the Valley ; and in the 
afternoon, went to Danbury, and had an evening meeting at 
the Court-house, which was large and satisfactory ; the sheriff 
and one of the judges attended, who were very attentive in 
keeping order in the meeting. 19th. Had a precious little 
meeting at Benjamin Knapp's, at the same place; he and his 
wife are aged people, and were greatly tendered in this little 
opportunity ; at parting, he expressed with tears that he could 
truly say it was good for him that we had been there ; his 
children appeared to be people of religious sensibility, and 
expressed much satisfaction in our visit. In the afternoon, 
we went to Reading, and had an evening meeting there, in 
which we had to acknowledge the great condescension of 
Divine goodness in overshadowing us, and qualifying for 
precious silent worship, as well as vocal testimony and solemn 
supplication. 20th. Went to Trumbull, in company with 
E. H. aforesaid, and John Haviland, who had kindly accom- 
panied us hitherto from New Fairfield. Here, as we passed 



VISIT TO CONNECTICUT, NEW YORK, ETC. 37 

the street, seeing no sign for a tavern, we called on a man by 
the name of David Booth, who had become dissatisfied with 
the Presbyterian religion, and had read some of the writings of 
Friends. He seemed glad to see us, but our stay there ap- 
peared to bring a great strait over his mind, on account of his 
family, which consisted of two daughters, his only children ; 
they were greatly troubled about their father, on account of 
the course he was taking, — for we found before we left the 
place, that the neighbors began to call him a Quaker, which, 
without doubt, was very alarming to his daughters ; and we 
having proposed a meeting, one of them found means to get 
her father into another room, where they had a pretty long 
conversation ; on returning, he told us he was very sorry it 
was so, but his daughters were going away that afternoon, 
otherwise he should have been glad to entertain us at his 
house through the night; therefore, we concluded, (which I 
had before proposed to my companion, as being best,) to try 
to get entertainment elsewhere ; he told us where he thought 
we could be accommodated, at the same time offering to do 
what he could to notify a meeting in their school-house. 
Accordingly, he and J. H. went to inviting the people ; the 
rest of us went to the house proposed, kept by a widow 
woman, to whom we applied for entertainment ; but she ap- 
peared to be rather shy of us, especially when E. H. told her 
that we had a meeting appointed at the school-house that 
evening. She inquired if we had seen " Mr. Taylor," their, 
minister, who, she said, lived not far off, and told us where ; 
saying she had no license, and her stable was out of order. 
But it so happened, that she saw the priest passing by, and 
called him in, telling him in our presence, that " these gentle- 
men propose a meeting in the school-house this evening." He 
put on a very affable countenance, and said, he had made an 
appointment that evening for himself, and, therefore, thought 
it would be rather difficult or improper for us to have a meet- 
ing at the same time. We told him that our meeting was 
already appointed, and many of the people notified, and if he 
pleased, we should like to have his company also. He re- 
plied, that he would like to attend if he knew how to dispense 
with his own appointment. The woman, on seeing this com- 
placency between us, began to shake off her fears a little, and 

4 



38 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

said to him, " Mr. Taylor, your appointment is on the other 
street, and near three miles from this, and the people there 
can attend your meeting, and the people on this street can 
attend the meeting which these gentlemen have appointed ; " 
to which proposition he made no further objection, and went 
on towards his own meeting ; and when the time came, we 
attended ours, which was a favored season, and best help, to 
my admiration, was afforded w 7 hile on my feet ; and, as J. H. 
observed, when I had nearly half done speaking, he saw the 
priest come into the entry, and stand, among others, by the 
door, thus being a witness to the latter part of the testimony, 
relative to outward ordinances, and the true Gospel ministry. 
When we returned to our lodgings, we found him there. I 
inquired of him whether he had been 'at our meeting ? He 
said he had, but it w~as so near the close, that he had no op- 
portunity to hear, and avoided conversation on the subjects 
treated on in the meeting, which he had heard, but introduced 
the subject of receiving divine grace, pleading that men must 
be elected and changed before they can receive it ; w^hich 
proposition w r e reversed, by showing that the change and 
election is effected by receiving and conforming to its oper- 
ation. After divers objections, which he brought against the 
universality of light and grace, were obviated and answered, 
and he had obligingly invited us to his house, he took leave of 
us in a friendly manner. There was a man present during 
this conversation, who told us, after the priest had gone, that 
he had several times of late, heard him publicly declare, that 
every man's election or reprobation was decreed from the foun- 
dation of the world. But the woman seemed hardly walling 
to admit that her minister had ever made so decided a state- 
ment in favor of decrees ; and said to the man, " Whatever you 
may have understood Mr. Taylor to say on the subject, he now 
appears to agree with these gentlemen in regard to free grace." 
In the morning, before leaving the town, we called again to 
see David Booth, who expressed much thankfulness for our 
visit to the place, and great satisfaction in the meeting, and 
we left him very tender. 

We went from this place to Bridgeport, where we thought 
it right to propose a meeting. Accordingly, our host sent 
his young man with J. H. to consult the minister, who 



VISIT TO CONNECTICUT, NEW YORK, ETC. 39 

kept the school in the academy, — the most suitable place to 
meet in. He told them that he had been applied to by a 
man of the Methodist society for the use of the room for a 
minister of theirs from New York, who was expected there 
that evening, and that it would be well for them to inquire of 
the man whether they were likely to want it, and if they were 
not, to let him know it, and he would give out notice of the 
meeting for us by the scholars. They applied to the Method- 
ists, and were told if their minister came they would have 
their meeting in their own meeting-house, near the academy, 
which accordingly took place; and being so near ours, had 
rather an unfavorable tendency in the forepart of our meet- 
ing, the people appearing to be in suspense which meeting to 
attend ; some would come in and sit awhile, and then go out, 
and those who stayed, who were pretty many, appeared to be 
very unsettled in their minds, or most of them ; but however 
unfit the meeting seemed to be for receiving Gospel instruc- 
tion, I found it my place to stand up and labor among them, in 
order that they might be gathered to the ground and place of 
true devotion. The work was laborious indeed, and I found 
that great care was necessary in order to step rightly along. 
After thus striving with that floating, scattering disposition for 
a considerable time, a solemnity began to cover some of their 
minds, and finally spread over the whole audience. While I 
was speaking the other meeting broke up, (which, it seemed, 
was short,) and their whole company came to ours, making 
some interruption for a few minutes ; our house was now much 
crowded, but soon became settled and quiet. While this ad- 
dition was making to our meeting, I sat down, but as soon as 
the meeting became a little settled, I resumed the subject 
where I left it, and the opening was enlarged to divers doc- 
trines of the Gospel, and, I believe, it was a baptizing season 
to some. 

22d. We travelled to New Haven, and attended a meet- 
ing appointed for us there in the court-house, which, al- 
though not large, on account of the great severity of the 
weather, was a solid meeting, and there appeared great open- • 
ness in those present to receive our testimony. Here we 
found one member of our Society, and several friendly people, 
who freely acknowledged the excellency of our principles. 



40 JOURNAL OF JOHN WHBtJE. 

23d. We parted with our dear Friends E. H. and J. H., who 
had thus far given up to accompany us, and had been agreea- 
ble companions, and truly helpful to us. 

We proceeded from New Haven towards home, not much 
expecting to have any more meetings, passing easily through 
several villages till we came to Killings worth, where, as we 
were passing along the street, my mind was secretly and very 
unexpectedly arrested with an inclination to make a little 
stop somewhere here; and seeing some men with a team, I 
inquired of them the name of the place, which, when I had 
heard, I inquired after one A. S., a man of considerable note, 
of whom I had heard, that he lived at Killingsworth ; they 
showed us his house near by, where we called, and after some 
conversation I opened to him my desire for a meeting with 
the town's-people. He acquiesced, and his son and clerk 
went immediately out to notify the people. This man would 
not consent for us to go to a tavern, but had our horses put 
up, and kindly entertained us at his own house. It was after 
sunset when this meeting was agreed on, and in about one 
hour the room in the academy was much crowded with peo- 
ple, besides a number who came that could not get in. This 
meeting — how different from some which I have attended ! 
here they gathered as in the solemnity, prepared to receive 
our testimony ; and my heart was filled with matter, like a 
vessel that wanted vent; mouth and wisdom, tongue and 
utterance, were given to my admiration, and the meeting 
ended with solemn supplication, wherein we were made joy- 
ful, as in the house of prayer ; — at which season we not only 
felt breathing intercessions for the people present, but for 
many with whom we had met in this visit, and who were 
now brought near to our best feelings. Here we were ena- 
bled, as a finishing season to the visit, to present these as at 
the footstool of God's mercy and the throne of his grace, 
acknowledging the favor of the past, and desiring the con- 
tinuance of their and our future preservation. Next day, 
travelled about forty miles to Joshua Gardner's, in Stoning- 
ton ; and the day following, the 27th of 1st month, 1822, 
arrived home, and I was rejoiced to meet with my family 
again, and find them in usual health. 



EECUES TO HIS EAELY LIFE AND EXPEEIENCE. 41 



CHAPTER II. 

HIS TEAVELS AND EXEECISES BETWEEN 1824 AND 1827, INCLUDING 
SOME ALLUSION TO HIS EAELY LIFE AND EXPEEIENCE. 

7th mo,, 17th, 1824. Fifty years have now elapsed, since 
the day of my birth. The events which have transpired — 
the exercises, experience, and errors of my past life, are known 
to me ; but those which yet remain in the bosom of futurity 
are unknown to me ; and although it is far from me to cherish 
a vain desire of foreboding that which may fall to my lot, yet 
one thing I do desire, namely, that I may be favored with 
meekness and patience to endure the requisite tribulations 
that may hereafter be my portion in Divine appointment ; 
and that a living experience in that which is good may be 
increased within me, that so I may be more and more enabled 
to foresee and shun the evil. 

Not having recorded any account of my life heretofore, 
save of a few visits abroad on a religious account, I think 
proper now, however out of season it may appear, to com- 
mence, by way of diary, some account of my religious exer- 
cises and experience, for the benefit of my family after time 
to me here shall be no more ; — as well as to note some cir- 
cumstances considered more common in life. 

But, regarding what is past, I may say that the guarded 
care of my parents, a constant attendance of religious meet- 
ings, and an attention to the reading of the Scriptures of 
truth, were a great help to my mind in preparing the way for, 
and directing my attention to the saving principle of Divine 
grace within, — the restraining power of which I became ac- 
quainted with in very early life ; and I feel constrained to bear 
testimony to its efficacy and sufficiency in effecting the work 
of regeneration and salvation of all who yield to its reforming 
power; and this converting principle of light and grace, I 



42 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

fully believe was procured and conferred on mankind by Jesus 
Christ our Lord ; that his coming, life, death, and sufferings, 
are the very groundwork of the , application of this principle ; 
which is, emphatically speaking, the spirit of Christ the Saviour 
of men. That He is the only mediator, and offered himself a 
propitiatory sacrifice for sins that are past, repented of, and 
forsaken, is beyond all doubt; and on this hangs my hope. 
It has, I trust, been the expiation of my past errors, and in 
Him is my hope of preservation in the future. It is this in- 
ward operating principle that has so far preserved me through 
life ; and it is to this blessed spirit of Christ alone that I trust 
for direction and preservation during the remainder of my 
pilgrimage. 

[A blank in the Manuscript follows the foregoing, which 
gives the impression that he did not finish what he intended. 
The following extract from a letter to a friend, written many 
years afterwards, will in some measure supply this defect.] 

" I have often recurred, with a degree of satisfaction, to my early 
impressions, as well as to the instructions which were given me by my 
parents. They early made me acquainted with the doctrines of Chris- 
tianity, so far as the reading of the Scriptures of truth would give me 
that knowledge; and I was carefully instructed to reverence these 
sacred writings. The precepts of the New Testament, in a particular 
manner, did seem fully to correspond with those secret sensations, which 
I was early led to believe were the openings and leadings of truth upon 
my mind ; I was enabled also, without an expositor, to receive and sat- 
isfactorily to understand, some of the more prominent and simple doc- 
trines of the Gospel, as to the character and the several offices of Jesus 
Christ the Saviour of the world. And now also, in due time, the 
history of the Society of Friends was introduced to my reading and 
observation ; and my youthful mind was thereby strengthened and con- 
firmed to make a more perfect discrimination between the works of the 
law and those of faith, and to perceive what faith in God, and in the 
Lord Jesus Christ would do, — even that faith which worketh by love, 
to the purifying of the heart. I saw that it was sufficient ; that it ena- 
bled those sons of the morning of our day, notwithstanding the mighty 
opposition which lay in their way, to work the works of God, — even 
those spiritual works which were wrought in them, and by them, 
through the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, in the covenant of 
God's promise unto them, — even in like manner as the primitive Chris- 
tians did ; they joined and worked with the workings of grace in 



INCIDENTS AT HOME. 43 

themselves, to the glory of God, and to the praise of the Lord Jesus 
Christ. 

" And now I found myself to be one of this Society, not by birth and 
education only, but I embraced and received, and fully believed in the ■ 
doctrines of Christianity, as professed by it ; and I have ever since 
loved the Society and its testimonies, wherever they have been planted ; 
not only in my native land of America, but also in this nation, [Eng- 
land,] where this the Lord's right hand planting was, as regards our 
Society, first begun." 

7th mo., 18th. First day. Had no opening at meeting this 
day for communication to others, but considerable enlarge- 
ment in my own mind, more especially on the attributes of 
divine greatness, — not only present in every place, but ex- 
tending through all extent, far beyond the limited reach of our 
widest conceptions. The terms boundless and infinite exceed 
the utmost stretch of practical reflection with us, though they 
are frequently used by men in attempting to describe God's 
existence ; — perhaps, in a strict sense, even rather presumptu- 
ously so, because they extend so far beyond anything we 
know; and yet that He is incomprehensible by men, is no 
presumption at all, because we know it and can truly say that 
He is good and great. And, in the conclusion of these reflec- 
tions, and a consideration of human foolishness, finitude, and 
littleness, I had also to reflect, how trivial are our trials and 
sufferings in this world, and how supportable and easily en- 
dured, by a mind truly enlarged in the enjoyment of love 
divine here, and a prospect of a fruition of it hereafter. 

21st. Micajah Collins, Paul Newhall, and Matthew and 
Betsy Purinton, came to our house and lodged. Micajah has 
now set out on a religious visit to Ohio and Indiana. They 
all attended our preparative meeting the next day ; Micajah 
had a lively testimony, comforting and encouraging to the few 
exercised minds among us; but close and pertinent to a 
worldly spirit, and such as are halting between two opinions, 
or such as are not fully decided whether to place their affec- 
tions upon the Truth, or upon the things of this world ; for 
such there truly are, whose minds are divided between God 
and Mammon ; and how feeble and unavailing must their 
efforts be on the side of religion, while they are captivated by 
the god of this world! The •consideration of it is truly 



44 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

mournful, and especially so when we are assembled for re- 
ligious worship ; for when there, they are dull and heavy, and 
cannot participate in the exercise of it ; such a state prevalent 
in a meeting very much obstructs the current of lively devo- 
tion, and brings a burden upon the living. This afternoon 
our Friends left us, Micajah and his companion pursuing their 
journey, and the others returning. 

26th. At the Monthly Meeting held at South Kingston, I 
had a fresh opening of the divine goodness in sowing the 
seed of the kingdom in the hearts of the children of men, its 
nature and sufficiency, the capacity of the mind to profit by 
it, and that if fruit is not brought forth, we must " blame 
the culture, not the soil." The parable of the sower, and 
Isaiah's allegory of the vineyard,* opened in a consideration 
of the subject, and our accountability for the interposition and 
favor of Divine Providence toward us was brought pretty 
closely home to the minds of those present, and that the de- 
nunciation against the Lord's vineyard must eventually be 
applied to us, if there be not a faithful cultivation of the 
choice vine. 

First day, 8th mo., 1st. I left home in order to attend the 
Quarterly Meeting at Portsmouth — attended in course the 
meeting at Coventry — silent — went to Providence, and lodged 
at Moses Brown's. In this dear aged Friend we see, not only 
what the power of truth and a devotion to it will do for the 
human mind, but an uncommon continuation of the mental 
faculties in old age ; he being, I think, in his eighty-seventh 
year. 

Second day. Proceeding on my way toward Portsmouth, I 
stopped at Swansey to see my son, who has commenced the 
practice of medicine there ; he appears to have obtained the 
confidence of the people so as to promise success ; but I feel 
cautious of nattering myself therewith, knowing that the 
greatest prospects in this life may be suddenly blasted by 
some unforeseen occurrence ; and my greatest desire for my 
dear children now centres in this, that they may be preserved 
in the Truth by that providential hand which can give success 
in outward things, or otherwise, as He may see meet for our 
spiritual good. 

* Isaiah, chap. v. 



LABOES IN HIS OWN MONTHLY AND QUAKTEKLY MEETINGS. 45 

4th. Went to Portsmouth, and attended the Select Quar- 
terly Meeting, in which some remarks were made on the sub- 
ject of true faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and 
on an improper extension of offerings in the ministry. 

Fifth day. In the morning attended a meeting of the Select 
Yearly Meetings' committee on a distressing case of difficulty 
and unsoundness about New Bedford ; the deliberation re- 
sulted in the conclusion for some part of the committee to 
attend the Select Meeting there. I attended the Quarterly 
Meeting this day, which was conducted satisfactorily, after 
which I returned to Swansey ; and on sixth day, attended the 
meeting of the general School Committee at Providence, in 
which a concern and care was manifest for a right regulation 
of that important institution. 

Jonathan Chace, of Swansey, Mass., died very suddenly on 
first day, the 24th of last month. He was a minister in 
good esteem in our Society, a zealous supporter of our prin- 
ciples and doctrines, both by example and precept ; a pattern 
of primitive simplicity and humility ; honest and plain to all 
in the discharge of what he apprehended to be his duty; 
affable and agreeable in his conversation, and in his manners 
without affectation. 

8th mo., 15th. I had some pretty clear openings this day, 
at meeting, respecting the way to obtain living waters, 
several passages of Scripture opening clearly on the subject ; 
but I had not as I apprehend the word of command to com- 
municate anything of it to others. 23d. Attended Monthly 
Meeting at South Kingston ; where, after a long laborious 
time, I had a close searching testimony near the close of the 
meeting for worship, and an alarm to sound to some who (as 
appeared to the view of my mind) were buried so deep in the 
earth as scarcely to be able to hear the word of the Lord, 
though it might be thrice repeated, as by the Prophet, " O 
Earth ! Earth ! Earth ! " A current of consolation was never- 
theless extended to the mourners in Zion, for the lifting up of 
the weak hands, and the confirming of the feeble knees. 

9th mo., 25th. Our Monthly Meeting— Matthew Purinton 
and his wife, Betsy, attended it ; in which she had good service, 
as also the next day in our Select Meeting. 30th. I attended the 
funeral of Martha Dye ; had a very open time with the people, 



46 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

and best help was mercifully afforded. 31st. I attended 
Greenwich Monthly Meeting, held at Cranston, silent through- 
out ; after which I went to D. and T. Howlands', thence to 
Moses Brown's and lodged ; his company and conversation 
continue to be truly interesting. 

11th mo., 2d. The Select Meeting this day was over- 
shadowed with the quieting, cementing influence of Divine 
love and goodness, which united us together ; and although I 
found it not to be my place to speak of that, yet I did in my 
measure feel thankful that we who constitute this meeting, 
have hitherto been preserved from the jar and commotion 
w T ith which our Society is at this time shaken in several sec- 
tions of the country, on account of unsoundness in doctrine 
in divers individuals ; and in this meeting I feelingly com- 
memorated our favors and craved preservation in the future. 

12th mo., 1st. Attended the Select Quarterly Meeting at 
New Bedford, and in the afternoon the meeting for suffer- 
ings, and the next day the Quarterly Meeting at large. The 
meeting for worship was truly a painful time, being much 
disturbed by some not in membership, and others not in 
unity, they having imbibed unsound doctrines ; it appeared 
that these disturbers tried their utmost to provoke us to make 
some reply to what they offered ; but wisdom, I believe, dic- 
tated silence on our part, and I had to remember the trial 
before Pilate, and the sufferings of our Saviour when his ene- 
mies pressed him with keen invective and rude provocation, 
to draw something from him, but to no effect ; for it was said 
of him, that he was as a sheep dumb before her shearers, in that 
he opened not his mouth. I was glad that Friends exercised 
Christian patience and forbearance on this occasion ; for I 
have great reason to believe that their opposers are much in 
the same spirit now, that His personal enemies were in that 
day. They had him crucified because (as they said) he 
" being a man, made himself God." They crucified Him 
because he professed a Divine character; and these very 
opposers of ours are also opposers of his Divine character, 
which is evident from what was held forth in this meeting, as 
well as what they have said at other times. They say he 
was no more than a man, and, as a man, " was made perfect 
through suffering," and thus wrest the apostles' expressions 



FUNERAL OF SUSAN PALMER. 47 

from their proper meaning ; for the Saviour was doubtless 
holy and pure from his birth of the virgin Mary to the day 
of his ascension into heaven ; but as the means which God 
had ordained for the redemption of mankind was not com- 
pleted or perfected until Christ had partaken of his cup of 
sufferings, so the apostle might well say that he was made a 
perfect and complete Redeemer through suffering. The same 
apostle also says that " in Him dwelt the fulness of the God- 
head bodily," which includes and is the unity of all the attri- 
butes of Deity — the power, wisdom, goodness, justice, and 
mercy — which no created being or thing ever possessed in the 
fulness, either in heaven above or the earth beneath, save the 
man Jesus Christ. 

I thought it my place to commend Friends (near the close 
of the meeting for business) for their patience, at the same 
time reminding them of the necessity of being on their guard 
against the unsound principles, which these people are striv- 
ing to promulgate. 

6th. Attended the meeting at Cranston in the morning, 
which, though small, was a comfortable opportunity. In the 
evening I had a meeting at the Arkwright village ; in which 
my labor at first was difficult and trying, on account, as I ap- 
prehended, of the minds of the people being too much out- 
ward, and not rightfully turned to the alone true object of 
worship ; and it seemed for a time that I should soon sit down 
without obtaining any satisfaction from the opportunity ; and 
it would doubtless have proved so, had I not honestly told 
them their fault in getting above the just witness of God in 
their own minds, and a want of humbly bowing in prostration 
before Him. I then perceived they began to deepen a little, 
and the truth appeared to have more place in their minds, and 
way was finally made for much close and arduous service 
among them. After I sat down It. G. made some remarks, 
and the meeting ended well. 

3d mo. 3, 1825. According to invitation I attended the fu- 
neral of Susan Palmer, wife of Fones Palmer, not a member 
of our Society, but educated in the way of the Seventh Day 
Baptists. I had visited her several times in the course of her 
sickness, which was a chronic consumption, and found her in 
a sweet sensible frame of mind, and having a pretty good 



48 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

understanding of the transforming power of religion ; — she 
appeared fully to acquiesce in the Divine disposal of herself. 
Her life had been regular and exemplary. At her funeral, 
M. S. — a Baptist preacher — being also invited, attended, with 
many of his hearers ; many Friends also attended. M. S. 
came in and sat down by me, and very soon asked me if I 
had been invited to attend the funeral. He was answered in 
the affirmative ; soon after which he proposed that I should 
" go forward with the exercises of the day," as he expressed 
it, and said that he should not only be satisfied for it to be so, 
but should consider it a privilege ; to which I replied, that, as 
he had also been invited, I felt no disposition to be in his way, 
or in the way of any service which he might feel it to be right 
for him to be exercised in ; — he replied that he would also wish 
me to act in my freedom. He soon after arose, and said that 
" as it appeared that Friend Wilbur had nothing on his mind 
to say as yet, and as he was not very fond of silent meetings, 
he would attempt to go forward ; " and so made an introduc- 
tion in their usual way by prayer, after which he took the 
Bible and opened to the passage, " Many are the afflictions of 
the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all." 
He was pretty lengthy in his exposition of it, and by the 
tenor of his discourse it would appear that this deliverance is 
either of a temporal nature, or protracted to the end of life ; 
for he gave us no account of what the righteous experience of 
the power of a Deliverer in their spiritual conflicts and temp- 
tations, and he did not appear to believe in the righteous 
being delivered from the power of temptation, without sin- 
ning, until the end of life. In the course of his preaching, he 
took up the subject of faith, and spoke well upon it until he 
had nearly closed on that subject, when he implied that true 
faith would lead to water baptism, and brought forward the 
passage of Philip and the eunuch ; soon after which he 
closed. It appeared to have been his intention to make light 
of silent meetings, or rather to give them a brush, and to 
maintain the propriety of water baptism ; but in a way that 
would not be very likely to produce much excitement on our 
minds, yet at the same time to make some headway in the 
confirmation of his people, and in derogation of our prin- 
ciples. Here, then, the necessity of care and discretion on 



FUNERAL OF SUSAN PALMER. 49 

our part was very obvious, and of our being " wise as serpents 
and harmless as doves." The champion of the Baptist con- 
nection hereaway being present and at their head, their ex- 
pectation doubtless was, through him, to take the lead ; and 
it appeared to me to be of importance so to conduct ourselves 
as not to give offence, and yet not to abandon our principles, 
but to stand resigned, if required, to maintain them in the 
ability afforded, and at the same time to do nothing that 
would lead to contention or disturbance on such an occasion. 
After a short pause, the following passage of Scripture opened 
to my mind, which I mentioned, namely, " Lord, we saw one 
casting out devils in thy name, and we forbade him, because 
he followed not us," and that the reply of our Lord was, " for- 
bid him not, for he that is not against us is for us ; for there 
is no man doing a miracle in my name that will lightly speak 
evil of me." A testimony of some length ensued, the out- 
lines of which were to the following purport, as nearly as can 
be remembered : " That although all the professors of Chris- 
tianity are not agreed to follow alike in all things, yet any 
who are qualified to be instrumental in exterminating evil, 
either from their own hearts or from others, ought not to be 
forbidden ; that no unkind feelings ought to be cherished in 
our hearts against our brethren, the followers of Christ our 
master ; — that as God is our Father, and one is our Master, 
even Christ, so the whole Christian family is, or ought to be, 
one family; that God looks at our sincerity; and that, al- 
though my friend who sat by me did not see in all things as 
I did, inasmuch as he was not fond of silent meetings, yet 
I entertained no unfriendly feelings towards him, however 
well assured I was of the propriety of silent, solemn prostra- 
tion before God when we come together to worship Him, and 
of the necessity to wait on Him, our holy High Priest, stand- 
ing at the altar, and waiting for our sacrifice to be prepared 
before we offer it ; that impressions from Him should be at- 
tended to, in preference to the expectation of the people ; 
that as in heaven, so on earth, his will should be done. I 
reminded them that silence was observed for a certain space 
in heaven [Rev. ch. viii. 1] ; that our Saviour, in his last charge 
to his disciples before his ascension, gave them this command, 
" Wait for the promise of the Father, which ye have heard of 
5 



50 JOURNAL OF JOHN AVILBUR. 

me;" that although they had previously been sent forth to 
preach, they were nevertheless to continue to wait for the re- 
newing of the Holy Ghost. Then the commission was more 
fully alluded to and repeated, " Go ye therefore and teach all 
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the 
Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; he that believe th and is bap- 
tized shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be con- 
demned ; " — " wait for the promise of the Father, which ye 
have heard of me," — " for John truly baptized with water, but 
ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost," &c. — that is, John 
baptized his disciples with water, but my disciples shall be 
baptized with the Holy Ghost; that Jesus referred them to 
the promise of the Father, which they had heard of Mm, — allud- 
ing to the baptism of John, and promising his own " with the 
Holy Ghost." In addition I directed all, hearers as well as 
speakers, to this promise of the Father ; for if we believed in 
it, we might all, by waiting for it, become the happy receivers 
of this gift of God's Holy Spirit, and the revelation of his 
will in our hearts by Jesus Christ, which would do away all 
vanity, and unite us together into one body; that enmity 
ought not in the least to have place in any of our minds, for 
if indulged and cherished, it would lead to the very worst of 
evils. In conclusion, I spoke a few words in reference to the 
virtuous life and dying experience of the deceased ; and after 
a considerable pause, the meeting ended in solemn supplica- 
tion, in which near access was opened to the fountain of 
Goodness. 

I think I may say that I was deeply humbled in thankful- 
ness to Him whose direction only can guide us aright, and 
who alone is able to strengthen in the day of battle, and keep 
peace under his own banner. — Amen. 

6th mo., 16th. At our Yearly Meeting, this year, we had 
a favored quiet season ; and the concerns of it were transacted 
in much harmony and Christian condescension. It felt truly 
comfortable to be again permitted to sit in this capacity, 
under our own vine and fig-tree, and none from without to 
disturb or make us afraid ; and this favor was the more sen- 
sibly realized, for the reason that this meeting had for several 
years past been interrupted and disturbed by some unsound 
and troublesome persons, who were opposed to good order 
and church government. 



CONCERN TO VISIT FRIENDS AT THE EAST. 51 

22d. Brother Woodman "Wilbur died, in the eighty-second 
year of his age ; he was the oldest child of my father by his 
first wife, and I was the youngest by his last wife, there 
being something more than thirty years' difference in our 
ages. 

25th. I attended a Monthly Meeting, in which our friend 
George Hatton was livingly exercised in the ministry, and the 
state of things among us was clearly and feelingly spoken 
to — his testimony being very impressive. 

26th. Attended the funeral of our deceased Brother, and 
notwithstanding the near connection, my mouth was opened 
in public testimony, and I thought it was a time of consid- 
erable favor. 

8th mo., 13th. Having had a concern for some time to visit 
Friends in our eastern country in Gospel love, I spread it, on 
the 26th ultimo, before our Monthly Meeting, and obtained 
their certificate of concurrence, and expect, to-morrow, to 
leave my home and my dear wife and children, to proceed on 
the journey. I have had much close exercise to undergo of 
late, on account of leaving my family, who seem to need my 
pretty constant care and help ; but I have had to consider 
that I must one day be called to leave them, and all things 
else in time, no more to return ; and that parting thus for a 
time may, if rightly improved, be the means of preparing my 
mind, as well as theirs, for our last separation from one an- 
other, as well as our final one from time. And my desire and 
prayer to God is, that He would be a Caretaker and Preserver 
of them in my absence ; and if they remember, love, and fear 
Him in all their ways, I have faith to believe that they will 
find Him to be near, and a present helper in every needful 
time. And may I be favored so to follow his guidance in 
humility and faithfulness, that he may deign to preserve me 
in the hour of temptation, as well as at all other times. 



Being furnished with a certificate from my Monthly Meet- 
ing, I took solemn leave of my family on the 14th of 8th mo., 
1825, in order to visit Friends and others in the Quarterly 
Meetings of Salem, Dover, Falmouth, and Vassalborough, 



52 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

with Ethan Foster for my companion. Attended the Quar- 
terly Meeting at Lynn, on the 17th and 18th, as also the 
Meeting for Sufferings. The Quarterly Meeting at large, was 
a time of favor, wherein divers lively testimonies were borne 
to the truth, — George Hatton, from Indiana, Huldah Hoag, 
from Vermont, and James Hazard, from Cornwall, (N.Y.,) 
being present ; but it was my lot through this meeting to be 
silent, with which I was well satisfied, believing it to be in 
the ordering of best wisdom. 

However clear the opening and prospect of this visit had 
been, I have as yet felt very poor and destitute as it regards a 
qualification for public labor. My faith has been very nearly 
tried, and I have been almost ready sometimes to look back, 
on account of this season of close trial and deep baptism, in 
which I have been ready to say, surely I am not fit for such a 
mission, for I have not bread to sustain my own drooping 
spirit, much less to hand to others. But still a grain of secret 
faith was left me, that as the prospect had been once clear to 
my mind, He who called, and whose promise has never failed 
the humble obedient traveller, would loose my bonds and 
make way for me, if it was his will that I should advance ; 
and I thought I could say it was not in my own will that I 
left my dear wife and children, and under divers discouraging 
considerations and trials was made willing to endeavor to do 
his will and follow his guidance. And I said in my heart, 
" Lord, I have left all to follow thee, — wilt thou now be with 
me, and enable me to follow thee whither soever thou lead- 
est ! " 

19th. I attended meeting at Salem, in company with H. H., 
in which I had to sound an alarm among them. Afternoon, 
went to Newbury to R. Brown's, and next day attended 
meeting there to good satisfaction. Had a precious oppor- 
tunity in this family, encouraging them to faithfulness. After- 
noon, went to Amesbury, in order to attend a meeting there, 
but by reason of some neglect, the information was not spread, 
and but three or four, besides our company, attended. 

First day, 21st. Still in company with H. H., attended 
meeting at Seabrook, where it was my lot to speak against 
pride and high-mindedness. 22d. Had a pretty satisfactory 
meeting with the few Friends at Epping, and some of their 



VISIT TO EASTERN QUARTERLY MEETINGS IN 1825. 53 

neighbors ; and the same afternoon, one at Lee, in which the 
Gospel state was testified of, and brought home to them 
pressingly and feelingly, as being exalted above the law. 
23d. Went to Dover, and had a meeting there, in which 
Huldah was favored in testimony ; and though way did not 
open for much service on my part, some things were brought 
pretty close home to the backsliders and careless walkers in 
our Zion. Dined at Isaac Wendell's, and then went to the 
Great Falls, where we had a large evening meeting to pretty 
good satisfaction ; but H. H. stayed this afternoon at Dover, 
and attended a funeral. 

24th. Went to Berwick, and attended their Select Quarterly 
Meeting, where it was my concern to call Friends to a deep 
indwelling, humility, and abiding in baptisms until we are 
qualified to do the Lord's work. In the afternoon, in company 
with H. H., attended the meeting at Oak Woods, which, though 
long silent and laborious, became a time of distinguished 
favor, and the power of truth was made by Israel's helper 
to prevail over all; — we returned to Berwick with refreshed 
hearts. 25th. Attended the Quarterly Meeting, in which we 
endeavored to labor a little in the ability which our Heavenly 
Father gave us. There appeared to be much want, in some 
of the branches of this Quarterly Meeting, of primitive zeal as 
it regards the attendance of religious meetings, and also great 
want of love and unity ; which defects caused sorrowful feel- 
ings in my mind, and led to much labor in the meeting for 
discipline for a recovery. 

26th. Travelled to Scarborough, and had an evening meet- 
ing with one family of Friends and their neighbors, to a good 
degree of satisfaction, and lodged with this family. We left 
H. H. at Berwick. 

27th. Went to Cape Elizabeth, and on first day, the 28th, 
attended the meeting there, and a painful one it was. The 
leading member of this meeting had become unsound in the 
faith, and had been disowned from the Society, but still at 
meeting kept his usual seat, which to me appears very im- 
proper. In the afternoon, I attended Friends' meeting at 
Portland, and had one appointed in the evening for the towns- 
people ; in which, though I felt utterly insufficient in the be- 
ginning, I was favored with strength to explain some leading 
5* 



54 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

points, and to bear testimony to the power of the Gospel, re- 
commending these great truths to the practical observance of 
those present ; this was a very crowded meeting, and was at- 
tended by three of the clergy. 29th. E. Foster being unwell, 
we rested, and I wrote to my family. 

From this letter, the following extract is taken : — 

" We expect to attend a meeting at Falmouth to-morrow, appointed 
for the solemnization of two marriages, and then the Quarterly Meeting. 

" Things are much out of order in the Society within the compass of 
this Quarter, which makes our prospect of labor very discouraging; 
from this and other causes, I have had to endure much trial and con- 
flict of late, and, indeed, it has been very much my lot for most of the 
time since I have been out ; yet, at times, and more especially when at 
meeting, I feel bound to acknowledge that the helper of Israel has been 
near ; and although discouragements sometimes intervene, I am not 
without an assurance that we are in our places." 

30th. Went to Falmouth, and attended the meeting ap- 
pointed for two marriages, in silence.* 

31st. Attended the Select Quarterly Meeting there, in which 
I had some very close labor among them ; for, indeed, I have 
had much exercise on account of the state of things among 
Friends here, and have been brought very low in consider- 
ation of it ; but in delivering what lay on my mind, in the 
Select Meeting, I felt considerable relief. 

9th mo., 1st. Attended the Quarterly Meeting at large, in 
which I was not commissioned to open my mouth either in 
the public meeting or in that for discipline. At this meeting, 
we met again with Jas. Hazard and H. H., and next day 
joined them, and w^ent to Pownal and had a meeting there. 
Seventh day, 3d, We had a meeting at the Bend, (so called,) 
and Little River ; in the former of which it was my lot to be 
silent ; but in the latter my bow was strong for the battle, and 
He who was pleased to go before gave us the victory. 

The departure of the younger members of our Society in 
this land, from our ancient testimony of simplicity and plain- 
ness, is cause of sorrow ; because it not only evinces that their 

* In regard to this meeting, his companion related the following incident: " At the 
close of the meeting, 1 asked him how it happened that he was silent among so large a 
company of young people? To which he said he would reply in the language of an 
eminent minister, on a similar occasion: 'If I had had my Master's fowling-piece, I 
could have wounded some of them.' " 



VISIT TO EASTEEN QUAETEELY MEETINGS IN 1825. 55 

minds are not sufficiently subject to the restraint of the Cross 
of Christ, but also leads directly to mingling with the people 
of the world, and consequently into the spirit of it. 

First day, 4th. Attended their meeting at Durham, which 
was very large and favored ; after which we went with Hul- 
dah to a meeting appointed for her at Bath, which was held 
in a Baptist meeting-house, and was large and very un- 
settled, in which it was my place to be silent. 

5th. Went to Litchfield, and next day had a meeting there, 
J. H. and H. H. being with us ; this meeting was rather labo- 
rious ; after which we went to Vassalborough, and on the 7th 
attended the Select Quarterly Meeting, and next day, the 
Quarterly Meeting at large, which was a highly favored time. 
I went into the Women's Meeting, and had good service 
among them. 

9th. Went to Fairfield in company with J. H. ;, Joseph 
Howland and wife concluded to accompany us for several 
days. We had a meeting there, in which I was engaged in 
close searching testimony. The young people here are mostly 
gone out from the Society, but I believe this was an awaken- 
ing time to some of those present. In the afternoon, went to 
Belgrade, and lodged at Samuel Taylor's, and next day had a 
highly favored meeting in his house, with a few Friends, and 
many of their neighbors ; and in the afternoon, one at Sidney. 
Here we had a very trying meeting, which was silent on my 
part till near the close, when I had to make some close re- 
marks to some states present. 

First day, 11th. Went to Eunice Ramsdell's, and attended 
their family meeting, and divers of the neighbors being invited, 
came in, and we had, as I thought, a pretty favorable oppor- 
tunity with them. Towards evening we had a large meeting 
at Gardner, in the Episcopalian meeting-house, wherein the 
different dispensations of the Law and the Gospel were dis- 
tinguished and illustrated ; showing that salvation is only 
attainable by the great mediatorial offering of Christ in whom 
the remission of sins repented of and forsaken is obtained, and 
grace and truth shed abroad upon the world ; it was a solid 
meeting, and we had some cause to hope that our labor would 
not be lost. 12th. Went to Bristol, where the day following 
we had a meeting, which was a favored season, after a morn- 



56 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

ing of deep wading and lamentation, in consideration of the 
great departure of the children of Friends here ; for we found 
that nearly all of them had gone out of our Society. After- 
noon, went to Hope, where we found things but little better, 
in regard to the children, and what increased our painful feel- 
ings, was to find that the parents (most of the few who lived 
here) were too careless, both as regards their children, and the 
testimony of Truth. Our meeting here was very small, and 
most of those in attendance, not of our Society, to whom, 
however, I had a testimony to bear for the life and power of 
Truth. From here we went to Albion and lodged at John 
Warren's, we being mutually glad to see each other, loth. 
Went to Unity, and had an evening meeting there, in which 
I had a close searching testimony, and had to sound the 
trumpet of alarm to some present ; it was a solemn time, and 
the meeting ended in fervent supplication. 

16th. Went back to Albion to attend a meeting appointed 
for us there ; met with George Hatton, and found that he also 
had sent forward notice of an appointment at the same time 
and place ; we also were made glad in meeting again. The 
public service of this meeting fell on him ; he was now going 
eastward and we westward ; we had, therefore, soon to part 
after meeting, and in a little opportunity at that time the 
stream of Gospel fellowship, and a desire for each others' 
preservation, flowed freely, not knowing that we should soon 
meet again, if ever. After parting with him, and before we 
left here, I felt a concern to give notice that we would be here 
again on first day, the 18th. On the 17th we had a meeting 
at the Branch, and one at China, the latter of which was a 
time of special favor. 18th. Went back to Albion, where we 
had a full meeting of Friends and many others, in which help 
was abundantly afforded in demonstrating the ground of 
man's coming to the presence of his Maker with acceptance. 
After this meeting we spent a short time again with dear 
John Warren very pleasantly, and then went to the Pond at 
Vassalborough, and attended an appointed meeting in the 
evening; it was a very crowded assembly, and divers doc- 
trines were opened and states spoken to. After meeting, we 
went home with Joseph Howland and wife, who had travelled 
with us about one hundred and fifty miles. 



VISIT TO EASTEEN QUAETEELY MEETINGS IN 1825. 57 

19th. Had an appointed meeting at the River; in which 
help was afforded in giving some encouragement and counsel 
to those present. 20th. Went to "Windsor, and had an even- 
ing meeting there, which H. H. also attended, in which I had 
pretty fully to treat on the subject of baptism — that the saving 
baptism is inward and spiritual. Huldah, also, had much to 
communicate. 21st. Went back to Vassalborough, and at- 
tended their mid-week meeting, where also was a marriage ; 
and after meeting, went to Augusta, where we appointed a 
meeting for the next evening, meanwhile sending forward a 
notice, that we would be at Winthrop the evening after. 
Our evening meeting here was large, in which Gospel light, 
and the possibility of falling from grace, were largely treated 
on, and we thought it a time of favor. 23d. At Winthrop, 
we met again with George Hatton, and attended the meeting 
together, in which we both had testimonies to bear to the 
truth, and it was a good meeting. Parting with G. H., we 
went to Leeds, and had a meeting there next day ; where I 
had to speak closely to a lukewarm state, and also at the 
close offered encouragement to some exercised minds. 25th. 
Went to Lewistown, and had a meeting with the few Friends 
there, and many others ; here the substance of things was 
enlarged upon — that of free salvation for all — the neces- 
sity of having faith to believe that we may overcome sin 
through the help of Him on whom help is laid — and that He 
will make us able, if there is faith in Him. In the afternoon, 
went to Windham, where next day, the 26th of 9th month, 
we had an appointed meeting ; in which I had to speak of 
the shortness and uncertainty of time, and to spread a cau- 
tion against an earthly spirit. This afternoon we went to 
Gorham, and had an evening meeting — a baptizing melting 
time, in which the invitation of Gospel love was extended to 
some present ; and I believe there were none in this meeting, 
but felt something of the gracious overshadowing which pre- 
vailed at this season. 

27th. Went to Limington, Wm. Cobb going with us — 
where we had an evening meeting, which was small, on 
account of the rain. 28th. Went to Parsonsfield, and at- 
tended their week-day meeting, which was small on account 
of no notice having reached them of our being there ; yet it 



58 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

was a pretty comfortable meeting. 29th. With Enoch Par- 
sons for our guide, went to Sandwich, and had a good meet- 
ing in the evening at Cyrus Varney's ; and next day another 
at the north meeting-house, which was also satisfactory. 

10th mo., 1st. We had a meeting at the south house, 
which was long silent, but was open towards the close for 
some labor ; I left this place in much heaviness, not feeling 
that sweet peace which has generally been my lot, through 
infinite mercy, after thus laboring in a meeting. The cause I 
may not undertake to determine ; yet the desertion and pov- 
erty which I felt this afternoon and next morning, till meeting 
time, greatly humbled my mind and taught me the continued 
necessity of placing my whole dependence on God. Went 
this afternoon to Wolfsborough and lodged at Joseph Var- 
ney's. 

2d. Our meeting here was held in the Academy ; it w T as 
large and solid— there was great openness in the minds of the 
people, and also I believe a fitness in some to hear the recon- 
ciling power of the Gospel declared among them ; it was, as 
I thought, a heavenly baptizing time. After meeting we went 
to New Durham, and put up at Joseph Canney's. 

10th mo., 3d. We had a meeting here w T ith Friends and 
many others, which we thought was a good time, and con- 
cluded in the savor and power of truth. After meeting we 
went to Gilmanton, where next day (4th) we had a small 
lively meeting, and then proceeded to Pittsfield. 5th. Had 
an evening meeting in the Congregational meeting-house, 
which James Hazard also attended, and which proved a solid 
time. 6th. Attended their Monthly Meeting at Pittsfield, 
which was very painful throughout, in part occasioned by an 
unsanctified appearance in the ministry, and partly from a 
sense of a careless lukewarm spirit prevalent with too many 
here. It was my lot to be silent, except a few words towards 
the close, in regard to discipline. It appeared to me that this 
Monthly Meeting was in a very low weak state. We found 
that there were divisions among them, and some of a self- 
seeking disposition were striving to be greatest ; and I thought 
I had rarely, if ever, sat in a Monthly Meeting where there 
was so much want of truly baptized minds, qualified to steady 
the Ark ; yet I believe there are some here, especially among 



CONCLUSION OF HIS EASTEKN VISIT, 1825. 59 

the younger class, who are well disposed, but the prospect is 
truly lamentable on account of the want of fathers and 
mothers to manage rightly the flock of God, and I could but 
leave them in a mournful state of mind. 

10th mo., 7th. Went to Concord and had a small meeting 
with the few Friends and some others there; and however 
discouraging the prospect was, a renewing of God's visitation 
was in a lively exhortation extended to them. After meeting 
we visited a friend who was out of health, and went to Henni- 
ker ; where next day, the 8th, we had a meeting, in which the 
good hand of the Lord was reached forth to our help both in 
testimony and supplication. 

First day, 9th. Attended the North meeting at Weare in 
the forenoon, and although long silent, I was at length favored 
to see and administer to several states present ; and in much 
feeling of Gospel love, was enabled to apply the balm to the 
mourners in Zion, both to my own and their great consola- 
tion. In the afternoon was at the South meeting, where 
strength was given to sound forth the testimony of Truth to 
a large assembly present ; in which, among other things, the 
preparation of the heart was enlarged upon ; and the right 
ground of devotion ; as it has been in all ages witnessed, 
only, in faith and true humility of heart. This being the 
last meeting which we expected to attend, we had to look 
over our field of labor, and crave of Him who had been our 
helper, that He would bless the work of our hands to those 
where our lot had been cast, and strengthen the mourners in 
Zion, and the hands of those whom we were about to leave 
still laboring in the same vineyard. This was to me a very 
interesting season, and the overshadowing of Divine good- 
ness was such, that it seemed like a crown upon our labors ; 
and I could say in my heart, it is enough, thy approbation, O 
Lord, is all in all ! 

After this meeting I felt entirely released from the service, 
having accomplished what I had in prospect ; and now gladly 
returned home, which I reached 10th mo., 13th, 1825, and 
was rejoiced to find my wife and family well ; for which, and 
my preservation as well as theirs, while absent, I feel bound 
to acknowledge our obligation to Him whose goodness and 
mercy have been thus far extended to us. 



60 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

First day, 23d. Having a clear opening in our meet- 
ing, and speaking to some states therein ; a woman of the 
Baptist Society present was greatly tendered. She went 
home with me afterwards, and we had much conversation on 
religious subjects, with which she appeared well satisfied. I 
found her to be a woman of sincere mind, and of consider- 
able experience in vital religion. 

11th mo., 2d. My beloved and only brother, Isaac Wilbur, 
departed this life at his house in Hopkinton ; his sickness was 
a malignant fever, continuing about ten days. He was a 
man of good abilities, not forward in his manners, but inter- 
esting in conversation, useful in his neighborhood, and ob- 
taining general respect; he occupied several stations in the 
Society to general satisfaction, so that his removal was sen- 
sibly felt by his relations, friends, and neighbors. Fevers have 
been very prevalent in this and the adjacent towns of late, of 
which many have died, mostly young and middle aged ; by 
which the evidence of our mortality, and the uncertainty of 
time, have been again and again confirmed to us. 

1826. On the 1st and 2d of 2d month I attended, at Prov- 
idence, our Select Quarterly Meeting, Meeting for Sufferings, 
and Quarterly Meeting at large, w T hich were held to general 
satisfaction. We had the company of James Hazard and 
Jabez Green from Cornwall, New York, Mary Battey and 
Alice Rathbun from Smithfield Quarter ; the former and two 
latter held forth lively and edifying testimonies in the public 
meeting. 

Fifth day, 9th of 2d month, my cousin S. P., died at his 
home in Charleston, aged forty-three years, a man of more 
than ordinary natural capacity ; but his life such as seemed 
to afford an illustration of this sentiment of the poet Young : 

" With the talents of an angel, a man may be a fool." 

He suffered himself to be so far captivated with a thirst for 
ardent spirits, that he became a slave to the excessive use of 
them ; which so completely destroyed the vital functions, that 
in a few years he fell a victim to the ravages of this mighty 
foe. — Yet, to do his character justice, it should be added that 
he escaped measurably the train of immoralities which almost 
invariably attend such a practice ; and although he had been 



FUNERALS IN HIS OWN NEIGHBORHOOD. 61 

flattering himself with the belief that all men would be finally- 
saved without reserve, yet he freely and fully recanted from 
it before he died. I attended his funeral on the 11th. On the 
12th, I had an appointed meeting at Charlestown, to a degree 
of satisfaction ; after which I visited two sick persons ; S. S.'s 
wife and J. C. I found her in a sweet frame of mind ; but 
him, under great apprehension and alarm, on account of his 
past life, the failings whereof he seemed now disposed to 
paint in their true colors, and was very penitent, but almost 
impatient in the fervor of his soul to find forgiveness and 
acceptance with an offended God. I advised him patiently 
to wait and quietly to hope for God's salvation, and to give 
himself up entirely into his hands, and wait the Lord's own 
time, wherein he would give relief. 

3d mo., 22d. I attended the funeral of Joshua Champlin, 
which, as I thought, was a time of favor. The public labor 
was opened with our Saviour's words, " This is the condem- 
nation, that light is come into the world, and men loved 
darkness rather than light," &c. ; the deceased having ac- 
knowledged in his sickness that he had been followed all his 
life long by the Light, reproving and condemning him for sin 
and transgression, opened the way for illustrating its intent 
and effect upon the mind of man, showing that the condem- 
nation of the disobedient is predicated upon this very thing, 
their having had the means of God's salvation, but rejected 
it. 

26th. Thomas Perry quietly departed this life at his own 
house at Westerly, much beloved by his relatives and friends ; 
being highly esteemed for integrity and uprightness in all his 
temporal concerns ; for his benevolence and philanthropy, and 
his cheerful and obliging disposition. He was truly a peace- 
maker. " Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called 
the children of God." His mind was remarkably covered dur- 
ing some of his last days with pleasantness and sweetness, 
and his disposition, as we trust, was tempered with the tem- 
per of heaven ; and I have a hope that he was introduced to 
the fountain of better enjoyment, on the commencement of 
endless life. His funeral was on the 28th, at the same place, 
attended by a large concourse of his respectable neighbors 
and friends. 

6 



62 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

5th mo., 11th. I left home, with the concurrence of my 
friends, in order to visit the meetings and families of Friends 
within the limits of Rhode Island Monthly Meeting. I have 
had this concern on my mind for some months, and way 
opening now to proceed, I went to Newport and spread my 
prospect before the ministers and elders there ; and they unit- 
ing with the concern, and Andrew Nichols having kindly 
given up to bear me company, feeling, as I believe, some en- 
gagement to join me therein, we began on seventh day, the 13th, 
to visit families in Middletown, — Jonathan Dennis and wife 
being also with us : this day we visited ten families. First 
day, 14th. Visited three families in the morning, and attended 
their forenoon meeting at Newport, to a good degree of satis- 
faction, and in the afternoon went to Portsmouth, and at- 
tended a meeting appointed for us there, which was large, but 
dull in the forepart. It appeared to me that the greater part 
present were not attending to their own gifts in solid wait- 
ing ; but after long waiting on my part, and I trust travail by 
many others, way opened to remind them of the loss which 
they had already sustained for want of coming down in their 
own minds to the alone right object of devotion ; and a 
solemnity gradually prevailing, way at length opened for 
pretty extensive labor ; — the living were encouraged, the luke- 
warm called upon, the youth invited, and the prodigal was 
ardently labored with for his return to the Father's house ; 
the meeting ended in solemn supplication and thankful- 
ness. 

Second day, 15th. Having Benjamin Freeborn in company, 
we went to Tiverton, and visited the few families there, (or 
the most of them,) and found things pretty low among them — 
discouragingly so — yet we were enabled, through deep bap- 
tism, to sound a word of alarm to some, and administer en- 
couragement to others in younger life ; and testimony was 
borne to some of them of the power of religion, and the 
necessity of bearing the cross of Christ. Towards evening, 
sat with several families on the Island, and was led (unusually 
for me) to some very close dealing with a few young people 
who were disposed to take too much liberty. On the three 
following days, we visited nearly thirty families in Ports- 
mouth, and through deep dwelling (which I find indispensa- 



VISIT TO FAMILIES ON RHODE ISLAND. 63 

ole for such service), way opened for pretty extensive labor in 
divers places ; and it did indeed appear to be a time of re- 
newed visitation of divine goodness to many, in which their 
condition, as well as the things which belonged to their 
peace, were, through holy help, opened to them. We also 
attended their Preparative Meeting, which, though laborious, 
proved satisfactory. Now, feeling clear of other parts of the 
Island, we went, on sixth day morning, the 19th, to Newport, 
and visited two families. Seventh day, we visited eighteen 
families in town, and first day, the 21st, we visited six fami- 
lies, and attended their morning and afternoon meetings ; and 
a joyful evening it was to me, feeling abundantly the in- 
comes of heavenly love and sweet peace, in which my cup 
was made to overflow with gospel love towards those whom 
I had visited and travailed with for the birth immortal ; and 
unspeakable thankfulness was felt to Him who thus deigned 
to be near and fill the heart of one so unworthy with his 
goodness and loving-kindness. I lodged this night, at David 
BufTum's ; and next day, after visiting two or three families, 
felt clear of Newport, having been kindly assisted by Stephen 
Gould and accompanied by Clark Rodman in this service in 
town. 

Second day, 22d. Went to Jamestown, and attended an 
appointed meeting there, which was very dull and heavy in 
the forepart ; and it seemed that I had to sit where the people 
sat. I thought the weight of oppression which covered my 
mind was almost insupportable, and must have been entirely 
so, had there not been a Hand of help extended, by which I 
was enabled at length to break through, a little, the shades of 
darkness which for a considerable time appeared to cover the 
meeting : and this truly suffering opportunity I hope was not 
entirely lost. 23d. We visited the few families of Friends 
here, and one family not members of our Society ; to some of 
these the invitation of Gospel love flowed freely. Thus, hav- 
ing accomplished the visit in prospect, I felt a good degree of 
peace, and next day returned home. 

Seventh day, the 8th of 6th month, leaving home with my 
daughter Lydia, to attend our Yearly Meeting, I was met at 
Kingston Hill by O. Foster, with information of the death of 
Jabez Tucker, and a request for me to attend his funeral 



64 JOUENAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

next day. Many Friends being gone to the Yearly Meeting, 
I gave up to the request of his widow. She and her husband 
had left the Baptist denomination, and had been attending 
Friends' meetings for some time ; and she being very desirous 
of Friends' company, it appeared best for me to attend. 
Many people were gathered on the occasion, and it was an 
open, solemn time ; after which I set out for Newport, and 
arrived there on second day morning. Our Yearly Meeting, 
this year, was a quiet, favored season; and Friends were 
much united in doing the business. Elizabeth Robson and 
Anna Braithwaite from England, and Elisha Bates from Ohio, 
were in attendance with us. 

1827, 1st mo., 31st. I attended, this day, the Select Quar- 
terly Meeting at Providence, in the afternoon the Meeting for 
Sufferings, and next day the Quarterly Meeting at large. 
We had a favored season in the meeting for worship, and 
also in that for discipline. The day following, I attended the 
School Committee, and returned homeward, but found a con- 
cern on the way to attend Friends' meeting at Coventry; 
accordingly, notice was given, and we met with them at the 
usual hour on first day, which was a solemn, favored time, in 
which we had cause to believe that Truth gained the victory. 
We returned peacefully home the same evening, my wife 
being with me. 

2d mo., 27th. With many other Friends, I attended the 
funeral of Henry Knowles of South Kingston ; it was a pretty 
large gathering, in which I had to labor extensively, and felt 
great peace and thankfulness to Israel's Helper. 

3d mo., 11th ; — first of the week. I had not felt the necessity 
of opening my mouth in our meeting at home, (except once 
or twice in a few words,) for several months; but this day 
was considerably enlarged, both in testimony and supplica- 
tion, and felt the reward of peace to follow, in which I feel 
thankful for the tender mercies and kind dealings of the Good 
Hand, in that He withholds not his direction, and has pre- 
served me hitherto. I feel breathing desires for preservation 
during the little time which may be allotted me in this world, 
so that I may be favored to bring no reproach upon his holy 
name and testimony ; but am sensible that my preservation 
will altogether depend upon deep dwelling and humble watch- 



VISIT TO WESTERN NEW YORK IN 1827. 65 

fulness ; — for those only who continue and hold out in these, 
have the assurance of his protection and salvation. 

25th. I had a pretty open time at meeting, to-day, some of 
other societies being present. 

4th mo., 9th. Acors Rathbun, of North Stonington, died 
suddenly, and was interred on the 11th. The meeting, held 
at our meeting-house, on the occasion, was, I thought, a pretty 
good opportunity — in which the passage of Holy "Writ, that 
" Secret things belong to the Almighty, but things that are 
revealed, to us and to our children," was revived and opened 
among us ; and allusion was also made to another position 
equally true, that power and wisdom belong to God, but 
weakness and ignorance, to us and the whole race of man- 
kind, as men and creatures. In this great contrast we were, 
in a degree, favored by the help afforded, to exalt the Creator 
and humble the creature, which appears to me to be one 
great object of the Christian religion — for without such a dis- 
position of mind I believe we shall never be approved in the 
Divine sight. 



In the 7th mo., 1827, I laid before our Monthly Meeting a 
concern which had rested with me for some time, to visit 
Friends in the western part of the State of New York, and 
obtained its certificate ; which concern was also laid before 
our Quarterly Meeting in the 8th mo., and was united with, 
and indorsed by said meeting. The observations of Friends, 
on the perils and dangers attending such an undertaking, amid 
the existing commotions in that part of the country, brought 
my mind into some deep exercise, in addition to the trials 
preparatory to my opening the prospect to our Monthly Meet- 
ing ; but I saw no better way than to attend simply to the 
prospect, and humbly to trust in the protection of my Good 
Master who called thereto. 

My brother-in-law Abel Collins, who had a like concern, 
accompanied me on this visit. 

We left home on the 12th of 9th month, 1827, expecting to 
visit Friends and others within the limits of Duanesburg, 
Scipio, and Farmington Quarterly Meetings. We were four 

6* 



66 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

days in travelling to New Lebanon ; tarried two nights with 
our brother-in-law H. Mory, and attended Friends' meeting 
at Chatham. 

The following is extracted from a letter which he wrote 
from New Lebanon to his wife : — 

" We arrived here on seventh day afternoon, and yesterday went, in 
company with our brother and sister, (H. Mory and wife,) to Chatham, 
and attended meeting there, returning in the afternoon. My health has 
improved on travelling ; and although the journey and service before 
us looks great and arduous, yet I have a little faith that we shall be 
enabled to persevere, and accomplish that which is assigned us ; but it 
is rather a low time with me, in which I feel the need of best Help, and 
am pretty fully sensible that without it we cannot be preserved either 
temporally or spiritually — more especially do I feel this to be the case 
while engaged in this arduous service in a distant land ; and I humbly 
crave divine preservation and protection for thee and me, and our dear 
children ; that we and they may so live in the Lord's fear, and may so 
love him, that he will deign to be round about us, as a safe enclosure, 
and guide us in a way well pleasing to himself. If this is our ex- 
perience, we have the promise that hard things shall be made easy, and 
bitter things sweet ; so that our present temporary separation will be 
the more easily endured ; and I much desire that it may be made easy 
to thee and the dear children, by the rich descendings of the dew of 
Hermon." 

Third day, 19th. Went to Duanesburg, and stopped two 
nights at Isaac Gages, the weather being very stormy. 21st. 
Attended their mid-week meeting, (notice being given,) in 
which faith in Christ was spoken of, and somewhat enlarged 
upon, as consisting in what has been done for us without us 
as well as in what is doing within us ; in which labors, although 
I felt at first some opposition, I was favored to get above it, 
and the meeting ended better than I expected, and some who 
I thought were tinctured with infidelity, appeared to be meas- 
urably wrought upon. From this place we travelled to Bur- 
lington, where we arrived on the 23d, and had an appointed 
meeting with Friends and others ; and an open heavenly 
meeting it was, in which we were favored with mouth and 
wisdom, tongue and utterance ; for which favor I was humbly 
thankful and I trust in a good degree sensible that nothing 
belongs to the creature, but that all good cometh from the 
Lord. This afternoon we went to Brookfield, and next day, 



VISIT TO WESTERN NEW YOEK IN 1827. 67 

the 1st of the week, we had a meeting there, which was heavy 
and painful ; but towards the close I was enabled to sound 
an alarm among them, and obtained some relief. In the 
afternoon we proceeded to Smyrna, in company with Thomas 
Kenyon and wife ; where, next day, we had a meeting with 
Friends, which was long silent ; but way at length opened for 
communication, and we had a favored time. 

From Smyrna Village we went to De Euyter, and on the 
26th, we travelled forty miles to a place called Salmon Creek, 
and in the morning reached Scipio, and attended the Select 
Quarterly meeting ; in which it was my lot to act the part of 
a sentinel, and sound the watchword that an enemy was round 
about the camp. The next day we attended the Quarterly 
Meeting at large, in which I was concerned to encourage the 
faithful to stand their ground and hold fast to the faith. In 
the meeting for business we were greatly disappointed and ex- 
ercised in finding a disorganizing and rending spirit spreading 
its baleful influence in this Quarterly Meeting ; and it fell to 
my lot to hold up the necessity of order and discipline in the 
church. The day following (as their manner is) they held a 
meeting for worship, in which I was greatly exercised concern- 
ing the state of things there, apprehending much unsoundness 
in the Christian faith. I was long shut up in silence, but way 
was made at length to step forward in advocating the true 
Christian doctrine, as it regards our faith in what has been 
done for us without us, as well as what is doing for us within 
us ; in which it was opened, that the latter, so far from render- 
ing useless the former (by which it has been obtained for us) 
corroborates and illustrates its effect and usefulness. After this 
meeting was over (the labors in which brought great peace 
and consolation to my mind) we crossed the Cayuga Lake 
(three miles wide) and went to our brother John Collins's, at 
Hector, and lodged there. 

10th mo., 1st. We set out for Farmington, and arriving 
there the next morning, attended the Select Quarterly Meet- 
ing ; in which my mouth was opened in an incitement to 
Friends to mind their calling, to deepen down, and feel for 
the foundation ; and a few words of encouragement were 
spoken to the faithful among them. Next day we attended 
their Quarterly Meeting at large, where it was my lot to be 



00 JOUEXAL OF JOHX WILBUR. 

silent; but I had painfully to behold a spirit of unsoundness 
and innovation, leading to much disorder and disturbance. 
The day following they held a large public meeting, in which 

1 was deeply exercised on account of unsoundness of doc- 
trine, which is sorrowfully making its way among Friends in 
this land ; and it fell to my lot publicly to defend, as help was 
afforded, the doctrines of Christianity, in which I felt peace. 
We stayed one night with Caleb Macomber, and after Quar- 
terly Meeting, went to Joseph Eddy's, at Henrietta, and on 
the oth attended a meeting there ; and next day went to 

Wheatland and had a satisfactory meeting there. 

First day, 7th. We went to Rochester, and attended a 
meeting there, in which, though laborious in the forepart, I 
was favored pretty fully to discharge my mind, to my own 
relief ; called to see Mead Atwater and wife, and proceeded 
to Riga the same night. 8th. We rode twenty miles to Elba, 
and had a meeting there at three o'clock, in which strength 
was given to preach the Gospel, I trust, in " demonstra- 
tion of the Spirit and of power ; " and next day we went to 
Shelby, and attended a meeting there, which was truly a 
heavenly time, in which we had to rejoice in Him from whom 
the favor was received. After meeting, we went to Hartland, 
and on the 10th, after having a meeting there, we rode to 
Royalstown, where we had a sweet precious meeting, and 
afterwards an opportunity in a family, where my mind was 
particularly drawn to an exercised young woman, whom I ap- 
prehended to be under deep concern and tenderly reached by 
the power of Truth — encouragement flowed freely to her. 
From here we went to Lockport, where we had a meeting 
the next day, and though I was considerably opened in testi- 
mony, yet I left them not feeling quite as clear as usual. 
After meeting, travelled nineteen miles, and stayed at a public 
house in a village called Tonawanda ; and the next day, 
through Buffalo to Hamburg. First day, the 14th, we at- 
tended their meeting here, which proved a favored time ; 
and in the afternoon, one at Boston, and next day going to 
Clear Creek, we had a meeting there at the fourth hour. 
16th. We had a meeting at Collins, and Friends of Evans 
meeting (four miles distant) being also invited, attended ; 
though I was long silent, yet at length I was largely opened in 



VISIT TO WESTERN NEW YORK IN 1827. 69 

doctrine, relative to the ministry and Christian redemption ; 
and after fervent supplication the meeting ended well. We 
then went back to Hamburg, and next day set our faces east- 
ward, travelling as far as Orangeville, where we had an even- 
ing meeting with Friends and others, open and satisfactory ; 
in which Christ's outward coming and inward manifestation 
were fully spoken of, and near access to the throne of Grace 
was experienced. 

The day following we travelled through the villages of 
"Warsaw, Leroy, and Scottsville, forty miles, and lodged 
with our valuable friend Robert Comfort. 20th. We went 
to Mendon, and lodged again at Caleb Macomber's. The 
day following, in company with Caleb and his wife, we 
had meetings at Mendon and Palmyra. These meetings 
were rather dull, especially the latter, and the little labor be- 
stowed did not afford much relief. First day, 21st. We 
travelled about twenty miles and attended Friends' meeting 
at Galen, where there appeared to be much unsoundness, or a 
want of faith in the outward coming of Christ, the Saviour 
of the world ; I was largely opened on this doctrine, and had 
great peace in my labors. In the afternoon we had a meeting 
at Junius, where it is to be feared that things were no better, 
yet I felt no liberty here to open my mouth on points of doc- 
trine, but thought I felt free to drop some advice to the young 
people present; though attended with much weakness. It 
appears evident to me that very little can be done for those 
who are unsound in the Christian faith, unless there is some 
room yet left in their minds, or way is made by the power of 
Truth to enforce the doctrine most surely believed by us as a 
people ; namely, the necessity of the coming of our Lord and 
Saviour Jesus Christ, and of his offering up his precious life 
that we might be reconciled to God ; for if this faith is want- 
ing in these days of favor, it appears to me that all is want- 
ing, whatever they may possess besides, there being, then, no 
foundation to build Christianity upon. 

Second day, the 22d. We went to Hector, and lodged at 
brother John Collins's, where we rested one day, and wrote 
to our families, and the day following attended their mid- 
week meeting, which was a precious season. In the afternoon, 
we had a meeting by appointment at a school-house, mostly 



70 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

of other people ; where, notwithstanding some were at first 
light and airy, yet way was made for considerable labor, which 
I hope will not be altogether lost. We stayed here at my 
brother-in-law, J. C.'s, till next afternoon, and then set out for 
Scipio, but were detained all night at the ferry. Next morn- 
ing, getting over, we had a meeting with Friends and some 
others, at Spring Mill, in which strength was given to preach 
Christ the Redeemer ; and if I am not mistaken, his kingdom 
was exalted over some who had denied his name, and my 
heart was filled with joy. 28th. We were at Scipio, and at- 
tended North-street meeting in the morning, and South-street 
in the afternoon. The former was rather trying and painful, 
— not much labor — some opposition felt. The latter was open, 
and notwithstanding I had reason to believe that some present 
were opposed to the doctrine, yet strength being mercifully 
given to get above all opposition. Truth had the victory, and 
my mind was filled with sweet peace. 

First day, 29th. We had a meeting at Salmon Creek, in 
which the doctrine of Christ was preached, and made victo- 
rious over infidelity. From this place we travelled to De Ruy- 
ter, and had an appointed meeting on third day, where also 
mere human reason, which is ready to triumph over the meek- 
ness of a Saviour, was confounded, like the Babel builders of 
old, and intercessions were offered for their guidance in the path 
of wisdom. From here we travelled in two days to Butternuts, 
and on sixth day, had a comfortable meeting there, and an- 
other in the evening at Lawrence, in which, though I sat long 
silent, I have to acknowledge the helping hand of the Lord. 
Next day, we proceeded towards Duanesburg, and lodged in 
Sharon, where next morning we attended a meeting appointed 
among the Methodists by our friend Joseph Bowne, in which 
it was my lot to be silent. 11th mo., 6th. We attended the 
Select Quarterly Meeting at Duanesburg, in which I endea- 
vored to encourage its members to a faithful support of the 
discipline. At the Quarterly Meeting next day, I was silent, 
but we had two or three short lively testimonies in the public 
meeting, and one very unsavory and burdensome. Next day, 
at the public meeting, I was concerned to labor in word and 
doctrine for the testimony of Jesus Christ; but the meeting 
was interrupted by a young woman, in the same manner as 



VISIT TO WESTEEN NEW YOEK IN 1827. 71 

yesterday ; she now attempted to counteract my doctrine, and 
one other woman (not a member of this Quarterly Meeting) 
made a similar attempt in a few words ; — but I trust neither 
of them to much effect, and I felt easy not to subjoin. This 
was the last meeting we attended while on this visit ; after 
which we returned directly home, believing that the service 
assigned us was now accomplished. We arrived at home the 
14th of 11th month ; finding my family in usual health, for 
which I was truly thankful, and have to acknowledge, with 
deep gratitude, the kindness of Providence in preserving us, 
and in restoring us safely to our friends. 

[This record, commenced in 1824, here concludes, and does 
not appear to have been afterwards resumed ; probably owing 
to a prospect of further and more weighty service, requiring 
long absence from home ; across the Atlantic, which had long 
rested on his mind, now approaching maturity, which occa- 
sioned increased exercise, and engagement both of mind and 
body ; and after his return from Great Britain, his mind was 
much occupied, and his labors constant and assiduous, in 
guarding the Society against the unsoundness in doctrine, 
which had for some time been apparent to his mind, as being 
introduced among us, though in a disguised and insidious 
manner. These engagements, and the manner in which they 
were opposed, brought upon him a weight of exercise and 
labor in defence of the cause of truth, and necessarily in his 
own defence, which left comparatively little time for other 
occupations.] 



72 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 



CHAPTER III. 
FIRST VISIT TO EUROPE, DURING THE YEARS 1831, 1832, AND 1833. 

About the year 1817, 1 began to feel gentle drawings in my 
mind towards Friends in England, but the opening seemed so 
small and so distant, that I took very little notice of it for a long 
time ; but as years passed on, it continued at times to revive 
and spring up in my mind, and though seldom, yet generally 
with an increased impression and of longer duration ; so that 
in the course of seven or eight years, I began to be convinced 
that it would some day or other be required of me to go over 
the sea and pay a visit to the seed there, in that love which 
seemed more powerfully springing up in my mind, and was 
now also enlarged towards Scotland and Ireland, though in a 
less degree than towards England. But even after these 
strong impressions, the prospect did sometimes disappear for 
many months, and then would come to me again with greater 
clearness and fulness than ever ; and so it was until about two 
years before my liberation, when it became almost the con- 
tinual companion of my mind, and at times with great weight 
and power ; insomuch that I now ventured to open it to my 
dear wife, for as yet the Lord alone had knowledge of this his 
own dealing with me, and wherein he was requiring obedience. 
As to the outward, such an undertaking for me seemed to 
look very difficult ; but when the concern increased and grew 
strong in me, I was not left to doubt His power who was 
calling me to this service in making a way for the fulfilment 
of his will. And now the weight of the exercise that rested 
upon me was such that I felt constrained to open my mind to 
some judicious Friends for their counsel herein, and meeting 
with no discouragement from them, in the 12th month, 1830, 
I laid my concern before our Monthly Meeting of South 
Kingston, and at their next Meeting received their certifi- 



LEAVES HOME OX HIS F1EST VISIT TO GEEAT BRITAIN. 73 

cate of concurrence and full unity, which was indorsed by 
our Quarterly Meeting of Rhode Island in the 5th month 
following, and the good unity of our Yearly Meeting of Min- 
isters and Elders in the 6th month being also obtained, and 
set forth in their concurring certificate, I engaged a passage 
on board the ship Birmingham, a packet of 570 tons burden, 
to sail from New York on the 24th of 7th month, 1831, for 
Liverpool. And now, these preliminary steps being taken, my 
mind was introduced into the consideration and sense of my 
own unworthiness to be sent on such a mission, as well as my 
utter want of ability to perform the service that may be called 
for at my hands in a strange land. Nor can my friends at 
home, however near their feelings of sympathy or fervent their 
desires and prayers, give that qualification which is indispen- 
sable in order to be rightly employed on such a mission. Yet 
I have so much assurance in the sympathy and prayers of the 
faithful, that I believe strength and encouragement is really at 
times derived from the remembrance of them, and their good 
desires for us ; but I am abundantly persuaded that this is not 
to be our food on all occasions. The Lord Jesus Christ is the 
Head of the Church — our Shepherd and our High Priest, as 
well as Minister of his ministers, and goeth before and guideth 
his messengers whithersoever he sends them. And O, s-aith 
my soul, that I may now in this great undertaking, remember 
continually my own nothingness and insufficiency to do any- 
thing that will contribute to the promotion of his cause, or the 
glory of his name, except He be with me and help me. Then 
may I endeavor to dwell near him, and be very low before 
him, watching unto prayer continually. In company with 
my dear wife, two of our sons, and brother Abel Collins, I left 
home on the 20th of 7th month, 1831, for New York, my 
friend, Joshua Gardner also going with us as far as New Lon- 
don, from whence he and my youngest son returned ; and the 
rest of us took stage for Connecticut River, and from thence 
by steamboat for New York, where we arrived at ten o'clock 
next morning, and were kindly received by our friend Samuel 
Wood and family, who very obligingly assisted me in prepar- 
ing for the voyage. Here we met with our dear children, 
William and Mary Hazard, from Dutchess County, and our 
brother and sister, Rowland and Mary Hazard, who very 



74 JOUEXAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

kindly came down with them to see me before sailing, and 
whose company and attention was truly grateful. We called 
on divers Friends in the city, to see and take leave of them, 
until first day, the 24th, when, having got all things ready, I 
had a very solid parting opportunity with my beloved wife 
and children, brothers, sister, and near friends at Samuel 
"Wood's house. Our feelings, I believe, were truly mutual, 
and a door was opened into the house of prayer, and un- 
feigned intercessions were put up to our Holy Helper, that he 
would be pleased to palliate and make easy this great conflict 
of parting with everything in this world heretofore known, 
and craving the preservation and protection of wife and chil- 
ren, connections and friends. After this solid and affecting 
season, many Friends accompanied us to the pier, and about 
fourteen in number, went with me on board the ship, which 
lay in the harbor about six miles from the wharf, where we 
parted in a most affectionate and tender manner, commending 
each other to God and to the word of his grace, not knowing 
that we should ever meet again in this world. 

My dear wife, children, and friends now returning to the 
city, and the ship being soon under weigh, we got imme- 
diately out to sea ; passed the bar about two o'clock, p. m. 
with a fair wind. On losing sight of the American conti- 
nent, which we did the same afternoon, and finding myself on 
the bosom of the mighty deep, my mind was led into a train 
of solemn reflections ; regarding myself, (a lonely messenger,) 
and the probable result of the mission on which I had now 
embarked in very deed, without any probability of stopping 
short of the shores of Europe, unless the Lord by his provi- 
dence interpose, and by his ministers the winds and waves 
turn our course another way, or hide us in his great treasury 
beneath the mighty waters. I said in my heart, however un- 
worthy I am to be called one of the least of thy disciples, yet 
now Lord I have cast myself wholly into thy hands ; carry me 
whither thou pleasest, and dispose of me as Thou wilt, and I 
will endeavor to be resigned to thy righteous disposal. But 
now, indeed, is the time, the power, and proof of the conflict ; 
— a stranger to all on board — not one among the passengers 
or crew to whom it would be safe to open my tried mind, 
or availing to look for sympathy of feeling or the imparting of 



SUFFERINGS AND EXEECISES ON SHIP BOARD. 75 

counsel. My friends at home have done all they can for me 
at the present time, unless the prayers of a few congenial 
spirits should follow me hence, to which I feel that I have 
scarcely a claim, and which I do not merit. It is on the mer- 
cies of the Lord alone that I now rely for preservation and a 
little faith to sustain me whilst, though in the world I seem 
so completely separated from it, or suspended between the 
two, — (the eastern and the western,) or it may be awfully be- 
tween this and that which is to come! Or am I placed, 
though remotely, between the floor and the field of offering? 
If, indeed, this dreary and painful travel should in time, by 
his grace, lead me to where the dews shall distil and the rains 
descend, then will I praise the Lord my preserver ! Yea, I 
will praise him even now. Will I not praise him in the depth 
as well as in the height ? If not the " most," yet will I 
bless thee in " the severe ; " yea, though sickness depress my 
animal spirits, and nature melt at the loss of a tender wife, 
precious children, and near friends, so that I am left to be- 
moan my condition as a man of sorrows, and have literally 
watered my couch with my tears, still I will bless and praise 
the name of the Lord for his hand has hitherto been seen to 
be underneath ; and when I shall have sufficiently learned, (as 
I am now instructed by necessity,) to trust wholly in Him and 
to love him alone, — to withdraw my affections from things 
below, then do I hope to find him what he ever was, — a pres- 
ent helper in the needful time. And although I have found 
the utmost necessity for looking unto the God and Father of 
all my sure mercies for support under these trials, still I have 
my apprehension that the time may come wherein I may be 
more tried and straitened, if it should fall to my lot to turn 
the battle to the gate in that land where my prospect seems 
leading me, and wherein a more near dwelling with the Foun- 
tain of wisdom will be needful in order to bear the shield dis- 
creetly, to the supporting and exalting of the standard of ever- 
lasting righteousness than I even now feel in the midst of 
these afflictions. 

I suffered much from sea-sickness through most of the pas- 
sage, the duration of which was twenty-six days; but the 
ship's company and passengers were not only civil to me, but 
respectful and even kind ; so that my situation was as com- 



76 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

fortable as could have been expected under the circumstances 
attending; and I have thought that the affectionate parting 
opportunity with my friends onboard, — their apparent respect- 
ability and solid deportment tended in some degree to turn 
attention towards me, — the occurrence was several times 
alluded to by the passengers. 

I arrived safely at Liverpool on the 19th of 8th month, and 
found my way to the house of my kind friend Thomas 
Thompson, to whom my letters of introduction were ad- 
dressed. My certificates were sent to London for the adjudi- 
cation of the Meeting for Sufferings there, and until their 
return, which was about ten days, I stayed in and about Liver- 
pool — attended meetings for worship five times, and was silent 
in all except one, when I spoke a few words only. During 
this time, I also attended their Monthly Meeting, now held 
at Hardshaw, in which I had a short testimony. 

8th mo., 29th. I left Liverpool in company with Thomas 
Thompson, who has given up to bear me company for 
a time, and went to Penketh and had a meeting there. It 
was this meeting that Samuel Fothergill used to attend ; 
and it was here his remains were interred. This was a 
satisfactory meeting, though small ; and after it we went to 
Warrington and lodged with Robert and Ann Gilpin, and 
breakfasted at Joseph Fell's, who lives in the house formerly 
owned and occupied by Samuel Fothergill. Here we had a 
favorable meeting on the 30th, and after meeting examined 
some ancient documents contained in their close — these were 
very interesting ; being certificates out and returning of divers 
valuable and ancient Friends, as well as some of later time. 
After meeting we dined at Ann Milner's, and then went to 
West Houghton and lodged at James Hodkinson's. 31st. 
We had a meeting here of Friends and others, wherein 
strength was given to unfold some of the doctrines of the 
Gospel. It was a solid time ; and near the conclusion, way 
was opened to the house of prayer. From this place we went 
to Manchester, and lodged at the house of my kind friend 
William Boulton. 9th mo., 1st. Attended their week-day 
meeting, in which my mouth was opened in a short, search- 
ing testimony to such as were not walking according to the 
knowledge they had received, who, according to our Lord's 



LIVERPOOL, MANCHESTER, ETC. 77 

declaration, are subjects for stripes and correction. In con- 
clusion, some comfort was administered to the faithful. 
2d. Went to Oldham, and had, after a pretty long silence, 
an open, heart-searching meeting, in which I believe many 
minds, if not all, were humbled and tendered ; and after this 
went again to Manchester, and next day rested and wrote. 
4th. Attended their fore and afternoon meetings, which were, 
from some cause, rather painful to me. I attempted, how- 
ever, some public service in each, which brought little peace. 
5th. Went to Bolton, and had a solid meeting there, in which 
I felt peace ; after which went to Rochdale, and lodged at 
James Midgley's. Abigail Dockray, wife of D. D. of Man- 
chester, came with us from that place, in order to attend the 
meeting here, and at Bolton ; and her company has been ac- 
ceptable to us. 6th. Had a meeting here, in which A. D. had 
good service, and was followed by an attempt at some labor 
on my part, but it proved a day of deep distress to me ; after 
meeting, we dined at James King's. The day before I land- 
ed at Liverpool, and near where we passed, a steam vessel 
called the Rothsay Castle was lost, and one hundred of her 
passengers perished, among whom were two Friends from 
this place ; one of them a brother of James King, whose 
widow was now here — but his body has not yet been found ; 
the other a cousin of his, by the name of Bottomly, whose 
body was found, brought here, and buried two days since ; 
his parents, three brothers and two sisters, were also here — a 
plain, good-looking family of Friends. A. D. had an open 
time with them, but I could be no more than their silent com- 
panion in tribulation. From this place we went to Tod- 
morden, and lodged at Joshua B. Fielding's, where, on fourth 
day, we had a silent meeting — still in a tried and low state ; 
and religion appears to me to be pretty low here. After meet- 
ing went to Crawshawbooth, took tea at John Dockray's, and 
lodged at Mary and Susanna Haworth's. 8th. Still distressed. 
O Lord, how long wilt thou charge me with iniquity, and 
hide thyself from me ? Wilt thou cover me with darkness, 
even forever! Wilt thou command thy light to shine no 
more upon me, and destroy me in thy great displeasure! 
Wilt thou not suffer me, O God, to look unto thee, and again 
to hope in thee ? O that thou would wash me from all ini- 



78 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

quity, and suffer me once more to praise thee! Attended 
meeting here — had a little light, like a glimmer passing a 
window, and towards the close of the meeting, spoke a few 
words, but soon sank down again into deep affliction. I 
went, this afternoon, to Marsden, and lodged at Hannah 
Ecroyd's, where, next day, we had a silent meeting ; after 
which we went to Blackburn, and had an evening meeting, 
in which a degree of relief came, and in a short testimony my 
mouth was opened to the few Friends here. 10th. Went to 
Preston, and lodged at Ralph Anderson's; and next day at- 
tended their meeting, both fore and afternoon, to pretty good 
satisfaction. My companion, T. T., left me here, and took 
stage for Liverpool. 

12th. Michael Saterthwaite bearing me company, went to 
Standish, where we expected a meeting had been appointed 
for us, but found that the information had failed ; so we went 
on for the next appointment, and lodged at the house of 
Charles Holmes, called Oriel Hall. Near this place is a nun- 
nery, having about sixty inmates, the first of whom came 
from France ; but the law now prohibits their increase. 

13th. We had a little meeting at Ashton with Friends and 
others, among whom was a clergyman of the Episcopal order, 
with whom we had considerable conversation after meeting, 
he appearing friendly. Went, the same evening, to Liverpool, 
and attended their Monthly Select Meeting, and next day, 14th, 
their Monthly Meeting, and in the evening, the Select Quarterly 
Meeting ; in all which it was my lot to be silent. 15th. At- 
tended the Quarterly Meeting at large, through the course of 
which my mental sufferings were very great. There was 
much preaching during the meeting for worship, in which I 
had no part, and which, according to my sense, had but very 
little solemnizing effect upon the meeting. O Lord, preserve 
me in the patience, and enable me to resign all to thy dis- 
posal ; O keep me from the snare of the fowler, and set thy 
mercy round about me, lest I fall and reproach thy holy 
name. O, enable me to trust in thee forever. 

On sixth day, the 16th of 9th month, in company with 
my beloved friend George Crosfield, I left Liverpool again, 
and went towards Cheshire ; travelled twenty miles, and 
lodged at our friend Ralph Neild's. 17th. Had a little 



TRAVELS IN STAFFORDSHIRE, CHESHIRE, ETC. 79 

open meeting at Franly, in Cheshire ; after which we dined 
at William Derbyshire's. His wife, whose maiden name 
was Bradbury, has several sisters in the State of New York. 
From hence we went to Stockport, to the house of my 
dear friends George and Ann Jones. On first day, the 18th, 
we attended their meeting in the morning, to pretty good 
satisfaction, and another in the evening for the towns- 
people, which was very full, and was a laborious time ; there 
seemed but little room in the minds of many here to receive the 
testimony of truth, yet it was hoped that there were some who 
felt the weight of things delivered. 19th. Went to Maccles- 
field, and had a meeting there, in which I believe some Gos- 
pel truths were testified to, and it proved a solid time ; after 
which we went into Staffordshire, to Leek, and lodged at 
Toft Chorley's. It was at this place that Margaret Lucas 
lived, and experienced her close trials and sufferings, at the 
time of her convincement. Toft Chorley is a grandson of 
Joshua Toft, mentioned in her narrative. The meeting here 
was rather trying and laborious ; for a considerable time silent 
and very discouraging ; it seemed very difficult to speak 
rightly to the conditions of the few, (for there were but a few,) 
yet a variety of condition was very apparent to the mingled 
feelings of my mind ; but by endeavoring to dwell deep, way 
was at length made, as I trust, to divide aright the word of 
truth among them, in which I found peace. After this meet- 
ing we travelled twenty-five miles to Nantwich, in Cheshire, 
and lodged at Croudson Tunstall's, where we met with a 
number of Friends from divers places at which we had been. 
21st. We attended Monthly Meeting here in the morning, 
wherein the virtue and sap of the divine life was joyfully felt 
to circulate, and Zion's travellers were encouraged to hold on 
their way. In the evening, attended the Select Quarterly 
Meeting for Cheshire and Staffordshire, which consisted, at 
this time, of four members only ; but we were informed that 
there are eleven belonging to it — some sick, and some away. 
We returned to C. T.'s and lodged. 

22d. Attended the Quarterly Meeting at large, which, 
though small, was nevertheless a time of especial favor, and 
I trust many minds were tendered and encouraged to press 
forward ; and solemn supplication ascended as incense from 



80 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

the altar of our hearts. After this meeting we travelled twenty- 
four miles to Morley, and tarried at John Barlow's, where, 
next day, we attended their meeting — dull and painful, on 
account of lukewarmness and carnal security in too many 
present ; to whom an alarm was sounded near the conclusion 
of the meeting. After this meeting we went again to Stock- 
port, and lodged at George Jones's. Here he wrote a letter to 
his family from which the following is an extract : — 

" Stockport, in the county of Cheshire, 9th mo., 23d, 1831. 
"my dear wife and children, 

" I have been thinking so much of you this afternoon that I cannot 
omit writing you. I have not yet received any information from you 
since I left America — have been greatly in expectation of a letter 
for more than a week past — saw a Liverpool paper last night which 
stated that the packet ship S. Jenkins came round Holyhead on second 
day last, by which I can hardly help hoping that I may yet have a let- 
ter. I have written three letters to America since coming to this coun- 
try — the first to Moses Brown, for you, the second, to Samuel Wood, 
for you, and the third to Thomas Wilbur, Fall River, to be sent home 
also. This place is about forty miles from Liverpool; have visited 
most of the meetings in Lancashire and Cheshire. After writing you 
last, (about two weeks since,) I went again to Liverpool and attended 
the Quarterly Meeting there, after which, in company with my beloved 
friend, George Crosfield, sat out for Cheshire, where we have had a 
number of meetings, some of which have been highly favored seasons. 
I have had of late great confirmation of its being right for me to be in 
this land, and at this time ; although I had to endure much grievous 
affliction for the first two or three weeks after arriving here, not of -body, 
but of mind, which I endeavored to submit to with patience, believing 
it might be an essential preparatory baptism for future service ; but my 
mind has been set greatly at liberty for the week past, in which my 
cords have been lengthened and my stakes strengthened. My com- 
panion is much more than an ordinary man, and although a Liverpool 
merchant of shining talents, is still endowed with so much meekness 
and tenderness that his company and help in this weighty work is truly 
acceptable and useful. He is an Elder of clear discernment and 
a judicious companion. How long he will stay with me is uncertain ; 
his wife met with us at Nantwich, and manifested much tender feeling 
for me. So much time having elapsed and not hearing from you, I 
begin to think that something serious has transpired which you may 
deem improper for me yet to know ; but be that as it may, I am en- 
deavoring to be resigned to the will of Divine Providence, and as I did 



LETTEK HOME— VISIT IN YORKSHIRE. 81 

commit and resign you most solemnly into bis hand and holy keeping, I 
confide in the belief that He will yet be merciful both to you and me 
amid the sorrows and privations of our separation ; and truly one of 
the most fruitful desires of my heart is now in the exercise of this 
arduous service in a foreign land, that you may live and devote your 
all to Him who has ordered our separation, and continue to be resigned 
to his will until he shall be pleased to restore us to each other again ; 
and if this be your experience I believe . your hearts will be made to 
overflow with his love, and his kind and propitious eye will be over 
you, causing your peace to flow as a river, which is my chiefest desire 
for you." 

24th. On seventh day we travelled through a corner of 
Derbyshire, thirty-six miles to Sheffield, in Yorkshire, and 
lodged at the house of our kind friend William Hargreaves, 
whose daughter Lydia is a minister, and were received very 
affectionately. On first day we attended their large meeting 
here, both fore and afternoon. The first was truly an over- 
shadowing time even in the silent part of it; and in this 
respect, as I think, has been surpassed by few, if any, which 
it has been my lot to attend, and the latter was also a good 
meeting. On second day, with Wm. Hargreaves, Jr., for our 
guide, we went to Doncaster and had a meeting there, in 
which the doctrine of the fall of man and his redemption was 
pretty fully set forth ; as also the necessity of seeing our lapse 
and depravity, in order to realize the all importance of the 
sacrifice of Christ and the power of the Gospel ; and strength 
was mercifully given to bring the subject home to the awaken- 
ing of many minds. Here live our valuable elder friends 
William and Martha Smith, ministers in good esteem. The 
salutation of her spirit was truly animating to mine ; and 
answered as face answereth to face in a glass. 26th. From 
Doncaster we went to Ackworth, and lodged at the school ; 
and next morning had a religious opportunity with the 
scholars ; then left and went to the city of York, and attended 
their Select Quarterly Meeting the same evening at six 
o'clock, in a very low state of mind. 28th. The Quarterly 
Meeting was very large, and there was much preaching, so 
that room was hardly found for a poor foreign messenger to 
deal out his humble ware till towards the close ; but I was 
pretty well satisfied in the end. There were two sittings of 



82 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

the meeting for discipline ; the latter held till nine o'clock in 
the evening, through which I sat in much weakness, and con- 
tinued in a state of great desertion until next morning, when 
at ten o'clock another public meeting was held, wherein my 
weakness was turned into strength and Truth was raised into 
dominion. 

After the Quarterly Meeting was over, we visited their 
institution for the insane called the Retreat ; which gives 
full proof of the benevolence and humanity of its founders 
and supporters. The most soothing attention to the wants of 
the inmates and the strictest cleanliness, are observed. The 
same day we went to see Hannah Murray, widow of the late 
Lindley Murray, of Holdgate, near York. With her I had a 
very satisfactory and interesting visit. 30th. We left York 
and travelled forty miles to Burlington, on the eastern coast 
of Yorkshire, and the place where our ancient Mend, John 
Richardson, once lived. Here we had a meeting the next day 
with the few Friends who live at this place, and one or two 
others : and although the number assembled, I think, did not 
exceed a dozen persons, it was truly a savory season, and the 
language of encouragement to greater faithfulness was ex- 
tended, and a sweet offering of incense was graciously pre- 
pared for us. After meeting, we made two or three calls in a 
solid way, and then travelled eighteen miles to Scarborough, 
and went to the house of our Mends John and Martha Yeardiey. 
both ministers who have been several times on the continent 
on religious service. Here we saw the ruins of the old Castle, 
in which our ancient worthy, George Fox, suffered much 
hardship in a cruel and long imprisonment. This town and 
that from which we last came, are situated upon the German 
Ocean. 

First day, 10th mo.. 2d. Attended their meeting in 
the morning — rather heavy — and in the evening had one 
with the town's-people, which we thought a favored time. 
3d. We went to Knapton and had a meeting there — to this 
place we were guided by Robert Tindal. who, with his 
brothers, owns an estate here of nearly three thousand acres 
of excellent land, on which there are four houses for public 
worship, one of which is for Friends, all built by the owners 
of the estate, they being of different denominations. Here, 



VISIT TO ANN CONING— GOES TO DURHAM. 83 

at their mansion-house, called Tindal Hall, we were kindly 
accommodated with breakfast and dinner. After this, we 
went to Malton, and had a meeting at five o'clock, and lodged 
at Joseph Priestman's, who went with us next day to Picker- 
ing, where we had a meeting with Friends. These last two 
were long silent and rather laborious, but strength was given 
towards the close, as I trust, to stir up the pure mind in many. 
After the last mentioned, in company with J. Priestman, we 
travelled twenty-one miles to Whitby. Here, next day, we 
had a meeting, in which a subject came unexpectedly into 
view and was pretty fully treated on — it was concerning the 
exalted character of Jesus Christ our Lord, his mission and 
mediation — his having done much for us without us ; and 
procured for us also the gift of the good spirit within us. I 
was informed, before we left, that a Unitarian preacher was 
present in the meeting. Afternoon, travelled to Castleton, 
where next day we had a favored meeting with Friends ; after 
which, went to Gisborough and took lodgings at the house of 
our friend Ann Coning, an acceptable minister. Here, on 
sixth day, the 7th, we had a meeting' in the morning with 
Friends, which was a tendering time, and in the evening an- 
other with the town's-people, which proved a very solid satis- 
factory meeting. 8th. Went early to Ayton, and had a 
meeting there, commencing at nine in the morning, in which 
many things were pretty fully opened, and strength was given 
to declare the Truth amongst them. After this meeting we 
had a solid time with a sick friend, and in a social way 
stepped into several Friends' houses. Here we parted with 
dear Ann Coning, who had attended the last three meetings 
with us, and was truly helpful to us. This afternoon we 
travelled to Stockton, in the county of Durham, and lodged 
at Margaret Atkinson's, who is a minister. 

First day, 9th. Attended Friends' Meeting here in the morn- 
ing, in which I had some searching labor and a serious call to 
some who had been visited in a remarkable manner, but had 
not been faithful thereto. In the evening we had a very large 
public meeting, in which the dispensations of the Law and the 
Gospel were exhibited and clearly distinguished, the power and 
efficacy of the latter enforced, and all invited to Him by whom 
grace and truth cometh. It was a most solemn time, in which 



84 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

strength was mercifully given to do the Master's will, and I 
felt abundant cause to be thankful to Him by whose pow r er 
alone the Gospel can be preached effectually and to his honor. 
10th. Had a small meeting at Norton at the ninth hour, and 
then travelled twenty-five miles to Sunderland, and attended 
their Select Meeting, for Newcastle Monthly Meeting, the 
same evening. 11th. Attended the Monthly Meeting held 
here, which was comfortable, and the service fell mostly to my 
lot, although there were many ministers present. In the 
evening, the Select Quarterly Meeting w T as held, and next 
day the Quarterly Meeting for the county of Durham, in 
which I was silent throughout. On fifth day went to the 
city of Durham, and had a small meeting there ; then returned 
again to Sunderland, and had a large public meeting in the 
evening, to the great relief of my mind. Here I lodged at 
Solomon Chapman's, a minister in good standing. Here also 
lives one Elizabeth Robson, a widow, and valuable minister, 
w 7 ith whom I felt much near unity, and she also gave me the 
right hand of fellowship, and offered much encouragement 
in an interview I had with her at the close of this last meeting 
there, so that my drooping mind was much refreshed and 
strengthened by her sweet and sisterly sympathy. Next day 
went to Shields, and had a meeting with Friends to good 
satisfaction — dined with William Richardson, whose wife is 
also an acceptable minister, and lodged at Robert Spencer's. 
Next morning went to Newcastle, and took lodgings at Mar- 
garet Braggs, where I rested and wrote to my wife and chil- 
dren. 

First day, 16th. Attended meeting in the morning, which 
was a favored time ; and in the evening a very crowded 
unsettled meeting w T ith the town's-people, and not much 
openness to revive the Gospel of Christ, yet I hoped our 
labors were not wholly lost. Margaret Bragg is the 
daughter of Rachel Wilson, an eminent minister, who once 
travelled in America in the service of the Gospel ; and 
this, her daughter, is also a minister in good esteem. 17th. 
Travelled thirty-four miles to Staindrop, and had a favored 
meeting there at five o'clock; after which, went home with 
George Hall and lodged, and next day travelled to Cotherstone, 
and had a small meeting there, and rather an awakening one 



YORKSHIRE. 85 

to some who it was apprehended had lost ground in their ex- 
perience. After this meeting went twenty miles to Darling- 
ton, and lodged at John and Catharine Backhouse's, both 
ministers and very kind friends. Had a meeting here to good 
satisfaction, and next day John and Catharine took us in 
their carriage to Borrowby, where we had a very small meet- 
ing, in which both of them bore acceptable testimonies to the 
Truth ; some labor also fell to my lot and the meeting was 
satisfactory ; after it, in a Friend's house, we had a solid part- 
ing opportunity, in which dear C. B., in a weighty manner, 
put up a petition for my preservation and that of my dear 
wife and family, craving that we might be favored to meet 
again in a mansion of rest. After parting with them, we 
went to Thirsk, and had a meeting there at six o'clock — long 
silent and painful, in which it was felt and apprehended that 
some, at least, were laboring under sad infirmities, and knew 
it not, so that there was not an applying to the true Physi- 
cian for help. At length way opened a little for labor, which, 
by a careful stepping, was extended from less to more, and it 
became a searching time. From this place we went to 
Helmsly, and had a meeting there at eleven, and at four, an- 
other at Bilsdale, and on the next day, 22d, at Hutton, in the 
Hole, at ten, and at Kirby Moorside, at two, all open, and 
some rather awakening times. At the latter place reside 
Thomas and Mary Hartas; she a minister to whom I felt 
nearly united. Whilst in this neighborhood, and attending 
the four last-named meetings, our lodgings were at the house 
of Robert Bainbridge, at Helmsly. Hutton was the last place 
of residence of John Richardson, and the same meeting-house 
in which he attended is now standing, and yet in use, though 
poor. 

After these meetings we set out for York, where we 
arrived late in the evening, and took lodgings at the house of 
our dear friend Mary Backhouse. First day, 23d. Attended 
their fore and afternoon meetings ; I was silent in the last. 
On second day morning my valuable and much beloved 
friend, George Crosfield, left me and took stage for Liverpool 
being under the necessity of returning home. His company 
has been truly grateful to me, and his assistance very useful 
in promoting my services in this land, which indeed made me 



86 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

loth to part with him. On the same day I visited several 
sick persons ; also again my dear friend Hannah Murray, my 
countrywoman, with her companion, Hannah Richardson ; 
and on third day, had meetings at Thornton and Huby, both 
pretty open times. Thornton is a meeting which Robert and 
Sarah Grubb attended for several years, and is eight miles 
north of York. 26th. Went to Cottingwith, and had a labo- 
rious meeting there, and thence to Selby, and had an evening 
meeting to good satisfaction. 27th. Went to Thorn, and met 
with Mary Fell, from "Oxbridge, near London, with whom I 
had once met before at Ackworth. I found that both our 
appointments here were sent forward for the same time, so 
we willingly joined and labored together in unity and true 
harmony. Martha Thornhill, from Ackworth, was also with 
her and took an acceptable part in the labor. William Proc- 
tor was our guide from Selby to this place, where we dined 
at Mordecai Cassons, whose son went as our guide to Cave. 
David Priestman, of York, being now my companion, we set 
out, and arrived at Cave rather late in the evening, having had 
a ferry over the Humber to pass after dark. 28th. Had a 
public meeting at North Cave, in which the spirit and power 
of the Christian religion was livingly felt and largely spoken 
of, and through favor, tongue and utterance were given to 
speak to the people of its superior excellency where its domin- 
ion prevails within. 

From here we went to Hull, a large commercial town on 
the Humber, where I met with my dear friend and country- 
man, Christopher Healy, now also here in the service of the 
Gospel; and we were mutually glad to see each other, and 
at our dear friend John and Mabel Hipsley's, we spent the 
night and most of the next day together, when he left for 
York, and I remained here till the day following, which 
was the first of the week, and attended their meetings 
here, both solid and satisfactory. On first day evening we 
went home with Thomas and Esther Priestman, she the 
daughter of Henry Tuke, of York, and Mabel Hipsley, his 
sister. On second day had a meeting at Oustwick, open and 
satisfactory, and returned at evening to Hull, and lodged at 
Isabel Casson's, a minister, now from home, but her daughter 
Hannah treated us with great kindness. 



VISIT TO ACKWORTH SCHOOL, ETC. 87 

11th mo., 1st. Returned to York, and went to my former lodg- 
ings with my friend M. Backhouse. Her son, James Backhouse, 
had now gone on an extensive visit to Van Dieman's Land 
and New Holland, on religious service. 2d. I attended their 
mid-week meeting at York, which was a good open time, and 
seemed somewhat like finishing my visit here. After meet- 
ing, I had an opportunity with the scholars in the girl's school 
here. 3d. Went to Ackworth, and lodged at the school ; and 
on sixth day, to Barnsley, and had a meeting there to pretty 
good satisfaction ; returned again to Ackworth, and on seventh 
day, visited the schools. On first day morning, attended meet- 
ing at Ackworth, and afternoon, at Pontefract, both pretty 
open ; and in the evening, attended the reading meeting of the 
scholars at Ackworth, which was a solid time, and closed with 
a sweet supplication by Priscilla Kinney, the chief governess. 
On second day we again visited the girl's school and some 
individuals in the neighborhood. This is a very interesting 
institution, and managed, I believe, under much of the right 
authority, and hence of great benefit to the society. The 
superintendents, Robert and Hannah Whitaker, appear to be 
well qualified for their station in this institution, being happily 
endowed with Christian meekness, cheerfulness, and love, 
which, with patience and firmness, seems to fit them in a 
peculiar manner for government. They are indeed valuable 
Friends, and were brought very near to my best feelings, and 
so also were dear Priscilla Kinney, the governess, and Martha 
Thornhill, living at the bottom of the garden — both ministers. 

Feeling now clear of Ackworth, we left it on third day morn- 
ing, the 8th of 11th month, and went to Wakefield, and had 
a meeting there, and at six in the evening, at Dewsbury. On 
fourth day was at Brighouse in the morning, at Huddersfield 
in the evening, and on fifth day, at Halifax — these were gen- 
erally pretty open meetings, and I hope some of them profit- 
able. From Halifax I went to Bradford, to the house of my 
beloved friend Sarah Harris. On sixth day had an appointed 
meeting, long silent, but at length there was given me, per- 
haps, as great a fulness of strength as I have often experi- 
enced, and all that was in me praised the Giver. In the 
evening, had a meeting at Rawden, which was long painful, 
but 'a little strength was finally given to relieve my mind. 



88 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

Sarah Harris, Benjamin Seebohm, and Esther, his wife, went 
with me to this meeting; they are all ministers. S. H. and 
E. S. both spoke in this meeting to my satisfaction. On 
seventh day, 12th, in company with B. S. and S. H., (David 
Priestman, my late companion, having returned home,) went 
to Gildersome, where Robert Walker formerly lived, and had a 
meeting with the few Friends there, and I was here met by 
my beloved Mend Mary Cooper, of Brighouse. My spirits 
being much depressed by the information received of the death 
of my dear friend Jonathan Taylor, of Mount Pleasant, Ohio, 
(lately deceased at the house of dear Mary J. Lecky, at Kil- 
nock, in Ireland.) I felt disqualified to labor much in the min- 
istry at this time ; but my friends who were with me were 
acceptably engaged. Added to the foregoing event, an ac- 
count of the sickness of my dear friend and countryman, 
Christopher Healy, now at Thirsk, in this county, seemed to 
be an accumulation of affliction and discouragement sufficient 
to dishearten a lonely traveller in a foreign land. On this 
account, or for some other cause, I was wholly silent on first 
day morning at Leeds. At this time the remains of Catherine 
Elam were interred. In the afternoon meeting my mouth 
was opened upon the subject of humility, and I alluded to 
our Saviour's parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. 

On second day, the 14th, I rested and wrote to America, 
and at evening had a meeting with the town's-people, much 
favored; and the power of Truth, I thought, was in a good 
degree exalted, in which many were enabled to rejoice. My 
friend Mary Cooper till now remained with me, and was 
truly helpful. My dear friend Richard Thompson, from Raw- 
den, met me here, in order to bear me company for a time 
on this journey ; and on third day, the 15th, we set out 
together and went to Birstwick, and had a meeting there 
towards evening, in which I trust no dishonor was brought to 
the Truth. 

Fourth day, 16th. We went to Addingham and had a meet- 
ing there, and in the evening another at Skipton. 

[While in this neighborhood, he received the following 
letter from Frances Thompson, wife of Thomas Thompson, 
whose house was his first home in Liverpool.] 



LETTER FROM FRANCES THOMPSON. 89 

FROM FRANCES THOMPSON TO JOHN WILBUR. 

Liverpool, 11th mo., 16th, 1831. 

DEAR FRIEND JOHN WILBUR, — 

I had given proof of my remembrance of thee, by rather a long 
attempt at writing to thee yesterday — but thy message coming in the 
evening, I concluded to begin afresh, feeling a little additionally en- 
couraged by the intimation of a wish to have a few lines from me. 
I believe thou may give some of us hereaway credit for speaking the 
truth, when we say we are deeply interested in thy comfort and wel- 
fare every way ; and very encouraging it is to me, in regard to thee, 
when I retrace thy steps, and reflect how thou hast been led along, 
from the time of thy first coming amongst us ; — how, in the first in- 
stance, thou wast brought down out of everything in which the flesh 
could glory, and in that state made willing to wait the Master's time, 
even though it should be to the " compassing the city seven days ; " — 
when I consider how thou wast preserved, in this time of trial, from 
kindling a fire of thy own and warming thyself with the sparks, and 
how thou wast kept in patient dependence upon the delivering Arm 
until a way was made for thee — I think there is cause for us to mag- 
nify the name of Him who has dealt so bountifully with thee ! — who, 
from time to time, (after having brought thee through the deeps,) has 
raised thee up to bear testimony to his goodness, and enabled thee to 
exalt the standard of Truth and Righteousness, to his praise, and much, 
very much, to the satisfaction of thy friends. I am induced to tell thee 
this, dear friend, for thy encouragement, for I recollect that even the 
Apostle Paul prayed, or desired that others should pray, that his ser- 
vice might be acceptable to the Church. — Yes, it must be consoling to a 
poor, tried pilgrim, to have this seal superadded ; therefore, since thou 
art so favored of the Master, by thy fellow-laborers, and the church at 
large, let me entreat thee to take courage, to hold up thy head in hope, — 
that He who has dealt thus bountifully, will care for thee still ; He who 
has most assuredly put thee forth, will go before thee, and cover thy 
head in every battle : — therefore trust in Him, with all thine heart, and 
give not way to fears, which should be withstood as they arise. 

As to the translation of dear Jonathan Taylor, it is indeed, in refer- 
ence to his family and near friends, both here and at home, a truly 
affecting circumstance, and particularly so, doubtless, to thyself, and 
C. Healy, and S. Grellet — but the balm is still in Gilead, the Physician 
is still there — therefore, think not of " discouragements," far less, of 
" fainting by the way." ******* 

In a feeling of much love and sympathy with thee, dear friend, I 
remain Thy sincere friend, 

Frances Thompson. 
8* 



90 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

17th. In the morning we were at Airton, and in the even- 
ing at Settle ; — these four meetings, though small, were open 
and interesting, and seemed like a renewed visitation to those 
little companies. At Settle we lodged at the house of our 
friend John Tatham, who took us, next morning, in a post- 
chaise, to Bentham, where we had an overshadowing season 
with Friends and others. Exhortation and encouragement 
flowed like a river to a precious little number present ; great 
indeed were our feelings of joy, and my soul was humbly 
thankful for the favor. We returned to Settle the same even- 
ing, and next morning (19th) went to Richard Wilson's, 
whose wife, Deborah Wilson, is a living gospel minister, 
with whom I did unite in true fellowship. We had a little 
meeting with Friends here, four in number, and one or two 
others, in which the language of gospel fellowship flowed like 
a stream towards them, in the bonds of that covenant of life 
and peace of which Christ Jesus is the Mediator ; and living 
intercessions were lifted up for all those who are running at 
the Lord's command, and for dear relatives and friends at 
home. After this precious opportunity, we went to Lothers- 
dale, and lodged at Slater Stansfield's. 

First day, 20th. We had a meeting with Friends and 
others, in which divine power and ability was mercifully 
given, to explain and enforce the doctrine that of ourselves 
we can do nothing towards our salvation, but through God's 
grace and the word of his power we can do all things required 
of us, in order for that glorious object. Deborah Wilson 
came here to meet with us again, and added a short, lively 
testimony to the truth. 

Second day morning, 21st of 11th month, we left Lothers- 
dale, and went to Marsden in Lancashire, where I had been 
once before, when no way opened for public labor ; but now 
feeling an inclination for another meeting, it was easily ob- 
tained, and a favored season it proved, in which the people 
were recommended to a serious inquiry respecting their stand- 
ing, and to a consideration of their great indebtedness to the 
divine Giver of many good gifts to them ; and my dear aged 
friend, James Haworth, a living minister of this place, was 
exercised in fervent supplication. Next day, with our valued 
friend Henry Ecroyd for our guide, we went to Newton 



TESTIMONY IN KENDAL MONTHLY MEETING. 91 

in Yorkshire, twenty-four miles; had an evening meeting 
with the few Friends there, and lodged at Francis Wills's. 
Next day we went to their mid-week meeting at Wyersdale, 
which was a solid time ; and after meeting went to Lancas- 
ter, and lodged at the house of my kind friend Ann Crosfield, 
who with her daughter Elizabeth were very attentive to us. 
Here we attended their mid-week meeting on the 24th, to 
good satisfaction, and on the 25th went to Calder Bridge, and 
had a meeting there, in which a lively call and invitation was 
extended to those present, and I had great peace ; after meet- 
ing returned to the house of my dear friend A. C. — she is the 
mother of my late companion Geo. Crosfield. 25th. James 
and Elizabeth Crosfield went with us to Yealand, and we 
had a favored meeting there, wherein testimony and suppli- 
cation flowed freely, and I believe to the refreshing of many 
present ; dined at Ann Wilson's, who took me in her carriage 
to Kendal. I attended their meeting here on first day, rather 
trying; and on second day, one at Grayrigg, pretty open. 
Third day, 29th, we had a good meeting at Preston Patrick ; — 
at this place, in early days, lived John Camm and John Aud- 
land, and afterwards Thomas Gawthrop, who visited America 
in the love of the Gospel, and on his return was accompanied 
by John Griffith and my great-grandfather Peter Davis. On 
fourth day, we had a meeting at Crook, very small but com- 
fortable. We were told that Edward Borough lived near this 
place. Fifth day, attended their Monthly Meeting at Kendal, 
and these words presented, " My treasure is my trust, and my 
heart is with it," and in the course of enlargement it was re- 
marked, that the prince of the power of the air is full of all 
manner of deceivableness, and as he cannot rule above, 
he would fain rule below, and that he would rather have half 
a kingdom than none at all ; and inasmuch as he could not, 
by the instigation of Herod, destroy the young child's life, 
and thereby frustrate the gospel mission, he then offered him 
the kingdoms of this world, professing his ownership and 
right to give ; that as his object was to turn our Saviour from 
a heavenly to an earthly kingdom, so also he would turn us 
the children of men ; and now, if it suited his purpose best, 
would change his ground and disclaim all right to the things 
which the Lord hath made, and in order to induce us to lay 



92 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

hold of them with avidity, would even tell us that the earth 
is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof, — thus striving, if possi- 
ble, to allure our affections and place them fully upon it, and 
so to divide our minds and make us the subject of two king- 
doms, — in which state, so long as we remain in it, our striv- 
ing to promote God's kingdom will be in vain. 

Sixth day, the 20th of 12th mo., in company with my friend 
Wm. Wilson, went to Colthouse, and next day had a meet- 
ing there, and an opening for considerable labor. Next day 
went to Ulverston, near Swarthmore, and on the day follow- 
ing had a meeting in the meeting-house built by order and at 
the expense of George Fox, on a valuable lot of land which 
he gave for the purpose. On a stone over the door was this 
inscription, " Exdono G. F. A. D. 1688." In this house we sat 
in a state of great barrenness for a long time, owing, as I 
thought, to too much dependence on formality, without the 
pure life of religion, and their hearts comparing more with a 
house of merchandise than with a house of prayer. At length 
way seemed to open, and much labor was bestowed, I trust, 
to the solemnizing of divers present; and I believe some 
resolutions were adopted for an amendment in the vital prin- 
ciple. After this labor the spirit of supplication prevailed, and 
the he]p of those present, with the messengers and ministers 
of Christ, and the church at large in this land, were fervently 
interceded for, and that our Zion might again shine forth and 
be restored to her ancient beauty. 

After this meeting, as we returned to our lodgings, we 
stopped a little to see Swarthmore Hall, the residence of 
Judge Fell, and afterwards of George Fox, who married his 
widow, that true handmaid of the Lord, Margaret Fell ; and 
next day had a pretty satisfactory meeting at Height, and 
returned again to Kendal. 

Third day morning, the 5th of 12th month, in company 
with Isaac Wilson, I set out for Scotland ; travelled forty -five 
miles to Carlisle, and next morning took the mail-coach to 
Edinburgh, where we arrived the same evening and took lodg- 
ings at the house of my dear friend Alexander Cruikshank. 
On the 8th, w r e attended their two months' meeting, which 
was an open, satisfactory time. Next day rested, and wrote 
to my wife and other friends in America. 



TRAVELS IN SCOTLAND— JOHN WIGHAM. 93 

Seventh day, 10th. Travelled by coach to Glasgow, forty- 
two miles, visited three families of Friends that night, and 
next day all the rest in this place, and attended both their 
morning and afternoon meeting. It was indeed a day of spir- 
itual favor, wherein I trust the truth was set over error, and 
the power of an endless life was felt to abound. 

Second day, 12th. We took coach for Aberdeen and trav- 
elled sixty-six miles to Perth, and lay by, having been ex- 
tremely ill since yesterday evening with headache and vomit- 
ing, which was much increased by the motion of the coach, 
and continued most of the night following ; but next morn- 
ing, feeling a little better, proceeded to Aberdeen, and con- 
tinued to improve through the day. Took lodgings with my 
dear friend Jane Cruikshank, a daughter of John Wigham ; 
and on the following morning called to see her father, 
a valuable friend, now in the eighty -fourth year of his 
age. He travelled extensively in America near forty years 
ago, on Truth's account. I well remember seeing him at 
my father's house at that time ; myself and wife, then 
young and newly-married, received some tender and precious 
counsel from him, which has endeared his memory to us ever 
since, and made this interview exceedingly interesting to me. 
Its occurrence was occasion of deep gratitude ; and truly com- 
fortable was it to witness the precious savor of heavenly good 
that appears to rest upon him, and to season both his com- 
pany and conversation. His numerous posterity forms no 
inconsiderable part of the Society of Friends in Scotland. 

On the 14th, had a meeting with the very small number of 
Friends who reside here, and was led in language of encour- 
agement to them. 15th. Went by post-chaise to Kilmuck, 
and had a meeting there. On this and the following day, 
made family visits to all the members of this meeting ; I felt 
great peace in the service. After which, we returned again to 
Aberdeen, and had an evening meeting for the inhabitants of 
that town, which was an open time, and the people attentive. 

Seventh day, 17th. We took coach and travelled to Edin- 
burgh that night, a distance of 126 miles, where next day, the 
first of the week, we attended their meetings, in which Divine 
favor was granted, especially in the morning. 

Elizabeth Nicholson, from Whitehaven, being about to 



94 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR, 

engage in a family visit here, was desirous of my company in 
the service, and as I had thought much of the families gener- 
ally in Scotland, I felt willing to accompany her, at least for 
a time, but soon found that such a service here was not for 
me now, and so declined going through. After resting a day 
or two, and writing to my friends in America, we left Edin- 
burgh on the 21st, and went to Hawick and attended their 
small meeting in the evening, which was a season of open 
labor, and way was made for coming to the feet of Divine 
mercy. At this season, my work in Scotland, and the sub- 
jects of it, were brought to remembrance, and prayers as- 
cended to the Almighty that our labors might be as a nail 
fastened in a sure place, and that a renewal of living engage- 
ment for the upholding of the good cause in Scotland might 
be witnessed. 

Now feeling clear of Scotland, and peaceful regarding my 
labors there, we set out on the 22d for England again, and 
arrived at Carlisle the same evening, and took lodgings again 
with my kind friend Thomas Stordy. This has, indeed, been 
a fatiguing journey, partly on account of the great distances 
travelled, and partly from my having been several times indis- 
posed in body, which, with other causes, sometimes brought 
much discouragement upon me ; but my blessed Lord and 
Master, whom I had given up to follow, was good and kind 
to me, and did not leave nor forsake me entirely ; for however 
low I was at times, yet in the end I found his hand to be near 
and underneath to sustain me ; for which unmerited mercy, I 
feel bound ever to bless and praise his holy name, and again 
to resign up all, both soul and body, wife and children, coun- 
try and friends, for Christ's sake and the Gospel's. 

On the same evening that I arrived at Carlisle, I attended 
their Select Meeting, and on the next day, their Monthly 
Meeting, to a good degree of satisfaction ; and the following 
evening, had a meeting at Scotby, and lodged at the house of 
my kind friends, Lydia Sutton and Tabitha Irwin. With 
these friends next day I rested, and was refreshed with their 
company. 

First day, 25th. I attended their morning and afternoon 
meeting again at Carlisle — the labor being close and arduous. 
The latter was also attended by my friend Lydia Sutton, who 



EETUEN TO ENGLAND AND FURTHER LABORS. 95 

came here this afternoon to accompany me to a few meet- 
ings, and next day we went to Kirklington, where Solport 
Friends also met us, — and a searching time ensued. 

Third day, 27th. Had a precious favored meeting at Moor- 
house, L. S. adding her testimony for the Truth. After this, 
we went to Wigton, and stayed at the house of our friend 
Robert Dodgson ; next day, visited the school there for 
Friends' of Cumberland and Scotland, consisting of thirty 
of each sex. In the evening, attended the Select Quar- 
terly Meeting, which was small, and the members were re- 
minded of their responsibility. Fifth day, 29th. I attended 
the Quarterly Meeting, where it was my lot to blow the 
trumpet, and call the solemn assembly to gather home to the 
Lord their tent and tabernacle. After meeting, my friend 
Lydia Sutton returned home, and Thomas Stordy gave up to 
be my companion for a time. Sixth day, 30th. We attended 
meeting at Beckfoot, and in the evening at Allonby, in both 
of which I had much open searching labor. In the first, the 
passage " Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand," 
and in the last " Thou shalt not withhold from the Lord thy 
sacrifices," were severally introduced as they arose without 
premeditation, and led to much doctrine and exhortation. 
We lodged at Allonby, at the house of Thos. Dickenson and 
sisters, and next day had a good meeting at Maryport ; then 
went to Whitehaven and put up at James Nicholson's, and 
here, on the first day of the 1st mo., first of the week 1832, 
we attended their fore and afternoon meetings. In the morn- 
ing, the experimental knowledge of God through Christ 
Jesus was opened and enlarged upon, and in the evening 
near the close, the excellency of silent worship. And after 
meeting at a Friend's house, I fell in with two young 
ministers, to whom some solid counsel flowed freely, and I 
found peace. 

On the 2d day, we went to Greysouthen, and had an open 
meeting there with Friends and others; on the following 
day to Pardshaw Hall, where we had a meeting to good satis- 
faction, and in the evening, one at Broughton, where, although 
much labor was extended, and, I think, under the right direc- 
tion, yet so much satisfaction as in the morning was not felt. 
This is the place where John Hall lived. He was once in 



96 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

America on religious service, and I saw divers of his children 
hereaway who are valuable Friends. Next day, went to 
Cockermouth, and had a very open meeting there ; the subject 
treated on was principally the necessity and excellence of 
humility and Christian meekness. We dined here at Debo- 
rah Robinson's, and afterwards went to Gilfoot, and lodged 
at Joseph Priestman's, where, next day, we had a little meet- 
ing to a degree of satisfaction. Thomas Stordy, having re- 
signed his place as my companion to James Nicholson, we 
went to Mosedale, near which, next day, the 6th, had a good 
meeting with a few Friends and a number of others, in which 
I was led to treat on the subjects of purification, Divine wor- 
ship, and the qualification of a Gospel minister. From Mose- 
dale we went to Penrith, and first month, 7th, we travelled to 
Aldston, where, next day, we had a meeting with the very few 
Friends there, and a number of others, mostly Methodists, 
who appeared to be very destitute of vital Christianity, and I 
found it to be very difficult to make any impression upon their 
feelings. It proved rather a painful time, and required great 
care in stepping safely along, as there was felt to be much op- 
position in the meeting; towards the close, however, some 
encouragement went freely to Friends. After meeting, we 
went to Allendale, where, next day, the 9th, we had a solid 
open meeting with Friends and Methodists, and I trust it was 
a time of renewing to divers present. Then went to Corn- 
wood, and lodged at Thos. Wigham's, where next day, the 
10th, we had a favored meeting with Friends, Methodists, and 
others, in which the substance and power of Christianity were 
exalted above the mere form ; the people were very solid and 
attentive, and appeared to be glad of the opportunity, and 
I trust that many of them were edified. 

On fifth day, the 12th, we attended Friends' Meeting at 
Penrith, to a good degree of satisfaction, and in the evening, 
had a public meeting with the town's-people, — long silent, but 
way at length opened to treat on the ministry, humility, and 
Christianity generally. This meeting was fully attended, and 
among others, was one Thompson, called a Doctor of Divinity. 
It was a solid meeting, and ended well. On sixth day, 13th, 
(in company with Isaac Wilson and wife, Mary Wilson, a 
minister, who also attended the meetings at Penrith,) had a 



NORTH OF ENGLAND.— ANCIENT INCIDENTS. 97 

meeting at Terril and Morland, in which I was favored to feel 
peace. Next day, we travelled to Hawes, in Yorkshire, and 
on first day, the 15th, had a meeting at Aysgarth, which was 
interrupted by a man of the Methodist persuasion ; but after 
giving him some pretty close hints, we had open service, and 
the meeting ended satisfactorily. On second day, the 16th, 
had meetings both at Counterside and Hawes ; and in the 
former I was largely opened on the successive dealings of the 
Almighty with mankind, from the fall, down to the present 
time ; and remarks were made upon the times before the law, 
as well as upon the two dispensations of the law and the 
gospel ; inferring that, as the people under the law seemed 
prone to revert to that which prevailed before the law, to wit, 
idolatry ; so in these gospel days, those whose religion is only 
literal, or professional, and standeth not in the life and power, 
seem disposed to revert back to the ceremonials and ordinances 
of the law. The meeting at Hawes was laborious, and the cur- 
rent of the gospel did not run so freely. At Counterside, we 
lodged at the house of William Fothergill, grandson of John 
Fothergill ; the latter a valuable minister who once travelled in 
America. On third day, 17th, we proceeded to Dent, and had 
a good open meeting there, but were apprehensive that the 
people were too much like Israel in Egypt,— easy under the 
hand of the oppressor. Next day, went to Narthwaite, and 
sat with the few Friends there, silent for a long time, until 
at length my dear friend, Mary Wilson, spoke a few words, 
which seemed to open the way for me also to subjoin a 
little, and the meeting ended satisfactorily. On fifth day, 
19th, we went to Grisedale, and had a good meeting there, M. 
W. having also a short, lively testimony ; and on sixth day, 
had a meeting at Brigflats, near to Sedbergh ; — long gather- 
ing, long silent ; but way at length opened for some lively, 
close service among them. At Sedbergh, we saw the Yew- 
trees, which are yet standing, under which George Fox had a 
meeting in 1652. One of these trees was dead and dry, but 
the other has yet a few green branches about it. This place 
was also the residence of Samuel Bownas. The meeting- 
house at Brigflats was built, as appears by the date over the 
door, in 1675, and the little place over the gallery, where 
Samuel Bownas sat when reproved, in a public manner, by 
9 



98 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

Anne Wilson, still remains* On seventh day, the 21st of 
1st mo., went home with I. and M. Wilson to Kendal. 
When at this place before, I had a little glimpse of visiting 
Friends' families here, and, while absent, the prospect had 
increased from time to time ; and now, on arriving, the con- 
cern came weightily before me. 

Next day, the first of the week, attended their morning 
meeting, but no way opened for public labor; and being 
now confirmed that if I did not give up to visit the families, 
no way would open for service here, or to leave the place with 
peace of mind, after meeting I laid my concern before some 
of the ministers and elders, and obtained their concurrence ; 
and, on the same evening, in company with my aforesaid 
friend, Mary Wilson, who felt an engagement to join me, I 
proceeded on the service which was completed on sixth day 
following, there being sixty-four families of Friends, and 
several others who were in the practice of attending Friends' 
meetings. This proved an exercising work, and some very 
trying cases occurred, in which close doctrine was adminis- 
tered, and in some others, where easy work was expected, it 
seemed difficult to get forward, my mind being exceedingly 
closed up ; but there were a few instances where the gospel 
current flowed like oil, to our comfort and refreshment. 
Whilst on this family visit, my friend and countryman, Chris- 
topher Healy, came to Kendal, and stayed with me two nights. 
Not feeling easy now to leave this place without another 
meeting with Friends, I concluded to stay until first day, and, 
in their morning meeting, had much labor, though not very 
relieving ; but finding a concern on my mind for a meeting 
with the inhabitants of Kendal, it was appointed to be held 
at six o'clock in the evening, and a very quiet, solid meeting 

* Of this incident, Samuel Bownas thus speaks in his " Life." (Friends' Library, Phil- 
adelphia, vol. hi. p. 3.) " One first day, being at meeting, a young woman, named 
Anne Wilson, was there and preached. She was very zealous, and I fixing my eye 
upon her, she, with a great zeal, pointed her finger at me, uttering these words with 
much power : ' A traditional Quaker ! thou comest to meeting as thou went from it the 
last time, and goest from it as thou came to it, but art no better for thy coming; what 
wilt thou do in the end? ' This was so suited to my condition, that, like Saul, I was 
smitten to the ground; but, turning my thoughts inward, in secret 1 cried: ' Lord, what 
shall I do to help it? ' And a voice, as it were, spoke in my heart, saying, ' Look unto 
me, and I will help thee; ' and I found much comfort," Sec. To this singular and strik- 
ing reproof, S. Bownas attributes his awakening from his previous state of levity and 
lukewarmness, to a change of life. 



LETTER FROM GEORGE CROSFIELD. 99 

it was, and power was manifestly given to preach the gospel, 
in the demonstration of the Spirit, and I felt to praise the 
Lord, our only helper, with great thankfulness of heart. 



FROM GEORGE CROSFIELD TO J. W~. 

Liverpool, 1st mo., 24, 1832. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

Having this opportunity, I wish to send thee a few lines of remem- 
brance, though my mind seems full only of poverty and a great lack of 
good, yet it may serve to assure thee how much we feel bound to thee 
in strong affection, and that which makes it pleasant frequently to hear 
from thee, and of thy being favored to proceed in thy labor with com- 
fortable feelings and increased strength for thy day's work ; this I pray 
for, and believe it will be continued to thee to the end, and doubt not 
thou wilt be permitted to feel at last the reward of thy dedication, and 
as one, who, having accomplished the appointed labor, can enjoy the 
sweet feeling of rest, and the wages of contentment and peace. 

I often recur to that portion of thy travels in which I was favored 
to accompany thee, and partake of seasons of refreshment along with 
thee ; such a period of abstraction from the many absorbing cares of 
the situation in which I am placed, I felt then, and still feel to be very 
salutary and strengthening, but which I am seldom permitted to partake 
of; if I could, I am very sensible it would greatly tend to my growth 
in good, which amidst all I do at times earnestly crave for and seek after. 
There is abundant need, in the present state of our Society, for its 
members to seek, individually, to witness a growth and establishment 
in the Truth, that so they may be enabled faithfully to uphold and 
support its testimonies, which are in many places, cast down and 
almost trodden under foot ; but it is cause of thankfulness that some 
are called, and going about to help and strengthen, in their allot- 
ments, those who are concerned on these accounts ; and if there should 
not be much apparent fruit from the labors of such immediately to 
be discerned, yet it should not minister discouragement, for we may 
hope that the fruit will appear, even though it may be after many 
days. ****** 

It was very pleasant to see Christopher Healy at Liverpool again ; 
he made but a short stay with us ; but the innocent cheerfulness and 
peaceful feeling which seemed to clothe his spirit, gave evidence of his 

having been engaged to the satisfaction and relief of his mind. 

******* 

I remain thy very affectionate friend, 

George Crosfield. 



100 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

On second day morning, the 30th, with I. W. still for my 
companion, I went to Settle, and on third day, to Bradford, 
and lodged at John Hustler's, at UnderclifF. There, next day, 
attended their mid-week meeting, and afterwards went to 
Foot-Hill, and next day, to Wooldale, to their mid-week 
meeting, and from thence to the meeting at High-Flatts. 
These three meetings were pretty open, especially the last, 
which was truly a solid time. After this, we went to Shef- 
field, and lodged at William Hargreaves, who himself was 
gone, with Stephen Grellet, to Birmingham, but his children 
were very kind to us. On seventh day, in company with dear 
Lydia Hargreaves and Charlotte Tomkinson, went to Wood- 
house, and had a meeting with a few Friends and many others, 
which was favored, and next day, the 1st of the week, and 
5th of the 2d mo., we attended their morning meeting at 
Sheffield, and, in the evening, had a public meeting there, 
very large, (supposed to be near a thousand people present,) 
quiet and solid, and strength was admirably given to exalt 
the power of Christianity over all the forms and ceremonies 
practised among the professors of it; and my heart was filled 
with praise and thanksgiving to God for his unspeakable 
gifts. 

From this place he wrote as follows to his wife : — 

Sheffield, 2d mo., 6, 1832. 

MY DEAR WIFE, 

* * * * * Q n mv arr i va l a t Kendal, where I have been for 
some time past engaged in visiting families, I received thy letter of the 
1st of 12th mo., and was greatly comforted in hearing thereby that you 
were all well ; and to be remembered by so many of my relations and 
friends, was also cause of gratitude, and I desire in return to be re- 
membered to them. * * * * We attended their meeting here 
yesterday morning, and last evening one for the town's-people, which 
was very large, nearly a thousand people were thought to be collected, 
and it was an interesting meeting. We are about to leave here this 
afternoon on our way to London, taking meetings as we go — think of 
visiting the Capital and the adjacent meetings some time before the 
Yearly Meeting, so as not to be there when they are engaged in prepar- 
ing for that event. I have, since coming here, received a kind letter 
from my dear friend George Crosfield, proposing to join me again in a 
few weeks as my companion. 



LETTER HOME.— CONTINUED LABORS. 101 

I feel truly desirous that my being absent from you may be no dis- 
couragement or hindrance to the well-doing of my dear children, but 
that they would remember that my mind is much with them ; and that 
I have longing desires to see them that I might impart some strength 
and encouragement to them in walking in the fear of the Lord and in 
the ways of wisdom ; and hope they will constantly cherish feelings of 
love and kindness towards one another, and towards their dear mother, 
for this is the very consummation of all social enjoyment, and leads 
directly to that of the love of God which, indeed, of all enjoyments, is 
the most precious. That this may be yours, is of all things the greatest 
desire that I can have for thee my best earthly beloved, and for the 
pledges of God's goodness to us, our dear children ; and may the bless- 
ings of Heaven above, and of all that is good beneath, rest upon you 
and keep you in the bond and covenant of peace and love. * * * 

J. Wilbur. 

We stayed at Sheffield until second day afternoon, and then 
went to Chesterfield, where next day I had a time of close 
labor in their meeting, and was apprehensive that too many 
of them were in an easy, lukewarm state, but had a little 
refreshing opportunity with a few Friends after dinner, and 
then went to Mansfield, and had a meeting there, and great 
peace ensued. 

After meeting, at Mansfield, we visited a charitable institu- 
tion, it being a comfortable accommodation (made by a 
friendly female who died in 1693) for six females, widows or 
single women, destitute of means of their own, and members 
of the Society of Friends, with a room, closet, &c, for each, 
on the ground floor, and money enough to supply them com- 
fortably with all the necessaries of life. We had religious 
opportunities with all of these, save one, and they appeared 
very comfortable, and mostly thankful for this outward pro- 
vision, as well as for our visit. Went the same evening to 
Heanor, and next morning, at Breach, with Friends and 
others, in which the doctrines of the Lord's Supper, baptism, 
the ministry, prayer and singing, were severally treated on, 
and very extensive were my labors this day. Was afterwards 
informed that two " Clergymen " and a number of their hearers 
were present. At three o'clock this afternoon we had another 
meeting at Furnace, long silent, as I thought, on account 
of the expectation of those present, being so very much out- 
9* 



102 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

ward ; but, at length, by a short testimony, I believe a solid 
covering was brought over the meeting, and I hoped our 
labors here were not entirely lost. After this we travelled late 
in the evening, and got to Bakewell, and next day, the 10th, 
had a good meeting at Monyash, in which, I trust, many 
minds were renewed and strengthened, and we much com- 
forted in the extension of the Lord's mercy to us ; and the 
meeting was concluded with solemn supplication. On 
seventh day, 11th, travelled thirty miles to Derby, where, next 
day, the first of the week, we sat with Friends in the morn- 
ing. In the evening we had a very crowded public meeting, 
insomuch that all the aisles were filled with people standing ; 
nevertheless, when the meeting was fully gathered, it soon 
became very quiet and solid, and help and strength were 
graciously given, to preach the gospel among them, and to 
insist upon the necessity of knowing the vital principle and 
power of religion, every one for himself and within himself; 
and w T ay was made for living supplication, and the house of 
prayer was made to us exceedingly joyful. On second day 
we went to Castle Donington, and had an open, favored 
meeting there, and after it, went to Nottingham, where next 
day we had a favored meeting with Friends, in which my 
testimony was of a very peculiar character. I had to speak 
of some uncommon affliction and trouble which I believed 
was attending some in that meeting ; and also of the admi- 
rable mercy and kindness of the Lord, in plucking some, as it 
were from the hand of the enemy, who, I verily believed, was 
lurking about the camp, in order to carry away captive some 
of the Lord's people, &c. After leaving here, we were in- 
formed that a married man, a stranger, had stolen the affec- 
tions of a precious young woman, a member of that meeting, 
and had taken her from her father's house privately, in the 
evening, put her into a postchaise, and made off with her ; 
but she, being soon missed, her brother and another young 
man pursued them with great speed, and, after travelling 
about twenty miles, overtook them, drove rapidly by, and 
wheeling short about before them, brought them to a stand ; 
then going immediately to the chaise door, suddenly pulled 
out the man first, and then the young woman, who protested 
strongly against going home — but home she was carried, and 



PECULIAR TESTIMONY AT NOTTINGHAM.— FARTHER LABORS. 103 

soon became very penitent, and was made to rejoice at her 
own preservation and escape. She was that day at our meet- 
ing, and greatly tendered ; and dined with us after meeting, 
in great brokenness of spirit, but we knew nothing of the 
affair until after we left the place. 

In the afternoon we went to Loughborough, and lodged at 
Francis Cumins's, where, on the 15th, we sat with his family 
in the meeting-house, they being all the members of our 
Society in this place. The opportunity was not very lively, 
but some counsel was offered and peace ensued. After this 
we travelled to Leicester, and on the 16th, attended their 
Monthly Meeting, which was a solid, awakening time ; visited 
a sick friend, and after meeting, went to Ullsthorpe, thirteen 
miles, and next day, attended their meeting at Hinkley ; very 
small, but I had a short lively testimony for them. Then 
went to Atherstone, where we supposed a meeting was ap- 
pointed for us, but found the information had failed, so we 
went on to Tamworth and lodged at Ann Fowler's, at Alder- 
mills, in Staffordshire. 

It appears that several meetings in these parts have been 
discontinued, and those which remain are very small, which is 
a consideration truly mournful, as it must have been occa- 
sioned by unfaithfulness. This day, the 17th, we passed 
near the birthplace of that worthy Elder, George Fox, which 
was at Drayton, near Harts-Hill. At Tamworth, on the 
18th, we had a meeting, consisting of four females only, to 
whom the gospel, in the love of it, seemed to flow sweetly, 
and an invitation was feelingly extended to a young woman 
present, who was gay and dressy, but not beyond hope. 
From this place we went to Birmingham, where next day, the 
first of the week, we attended their fore and afternoon meet- 
ings ; the first long silent, but afterward a state of departure 
from the Truth, as well as other things, was spoken to, and I 
was glad I waited for the right opening. That in the after- 
noon was open and solid. This afternoon I took tea with 
Richard Cadbury, where nearly thirty Friends came in, with 
whom we had a good opportunity ; and afterwards called to 
see a young widow, whose husband and brother were both 
drowned on the north coast of Wales, about the time I passed 
there when I was first about to land in England. This young 



104 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

woman had with her a brother and sister, and her husband's 
brother and sister. She and her sister were in great affliction, 
and we had a very tendering opportunity with them. On 
second day afternoon, went to Coventry, where, next day, we 
had a meeting, and thence to Northampton, where we attended 
Friends' mid-week meeting, which was satisfactory, and in 
the evening, had a public meeting; hard and trying. The 
minds of the people were so much outward, and insensible of 
religious impressions, that it was difficult to find an entrance, 
but still we had a hope that some good might have been done. 
Next day, the 24th, went to Kettering, and had a precious 
meeting there, and in the afternoon, another such at Welling- 
borough, and Friends from Finedon also met with us here. 
Next day, went to E-aunds and had a meeting, to which 
came three Methodist preachers, some of their hearers, and a 
few Friends, to whose different states, I trust, suitable instruc- 
tion was given. After this meeting we proceeded to Olney, 
(the residence of Cowper,) where we had a little comfortable 
meeting in the morning, and at four p. m. another at Hog- 
sty-End, to good satisfaction. Thence we went to Woburn, 
and next day to Leighton, where my ministerial labors were 
rather heavy, but by stepping carefully, they became close 
and searching. After this we went to Luton, and next day 
had a meeting there, where the gospel flowed freely in a liv- 
ing call to their tents, to their watchtower and place of 
safety. After this meeting, went to Ampthill and lodged at 
our kind friends' Samuel and Ann May's, where, next day, 
we had a meeting with Friends of that place, and those of 
Cranfield; a laborious meeting. We went from Ampthill to 
Hitchin, and next day, the first of 3d mo., attended their 
week-day meeting, at which the marriage of the grand-daugh- 
ter of Thomas Shillitoe was accomplished. Here we also 
met with this venerable and worthy old man. I was truly 
glad to see him, and his company was very savory and 
acceptable. 

On sixth day, the 2d, had a meeting in the morning at 
Baldock, good and comfortable, and at two o'clock at Ash- 
well — things very low, and a lively alarm sounded. At six 
in the evening had a meeting at Royston, which was highly 
favored both in testimony and supplication. These three 



PAINFUL NEGLECT OF MEETINGS. 105 

meetings were all small, and things, to outward appearance, 
in regard to a succession, very discouraging, yet I felt great 
peace in this day's labor. Next day we went to Ware, and 
the day following, first of the week, we had a meeting with 
Ware and Hertford Friends together, at Hertford, where 
pride and high-mindedness, a primary cause of missing, were 
spoken of, and contrasted with meekness and humility, the 
true characteristics of Christianity. In the afternoon, had a 
meeting with Friends at Hoddesdon, long, dull, and dry, very 
little life to be felt, but after long silence, through some honest 
labor, I obtained a degree of relief. We here lodged at James 
Manser's, who, with his wife, went with us to Stanstead, 
where we had a painful meeting on account, as I believed, of 
great unfaithfulness in some. We lodged here at Isabel 
Grover's, a widow of fourscore and four years, but lively in 
her mind, and very kind to us. On third day we went to 
Dunmow, where we had a good, lively meeting, and in the 
afternoon another at Stebbing, being joined also by Friends 
of Felstead, and it proved a solid meeting. On fourth day, 
at Bardfield, had a painful and distressing meeting. After 
meeting, a friend living within a few yards from the meeting- 
house, desired me to call at his house to see his son, who, he 
said, was not at meeting, and concluding he was unwell, I 
went ; but when I asked him how he did, he replied that he 
was well, and his father remarked that he was left in care of 
the shop ; by which account I-was much grieved, and observed 
to the parents that I had given up all my time and business 
for a long season, and moreover, had forsaken all my near and 
dear connections, to visit Friends in this country ; and now I 
felt distressed that any one living so near should think of 
suffering the trivial concerns of business to prevent them- 
selves or their families from coming to the meeting. And by 
what I could find, it appeared that there were several in this 
place who were, in like manner, at home ; and I have been 
afflicted at divers places in this land, on this account. 

At Saffron- Walden, on the 8th, we had a solid, fav- 
ored meeting, after which, we paid four family visits in a 
religious way, before dinner. From this place we went to 
Haverhill, in Suffolk, where, next day, we had a meeting to 
pretty good satisfaction, and after it, went to Halstead, where 



106 JOUKNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

on the following day, we had a solid meeting in the morning, 
and in the afternoon, another such at Colne, and the same 
evening went to Coggeshall, where, next day, the 11th and 
first of the week, we were at meeting in the morning, 
and the Friends of two other meetings in the neighbor- 
hood were invited, and mostly attended. This was a favored 
meeting. On the same day we went to Colchester, and at- 
tended their afternoon meeting, to which also divers others 
came of their own accord. But here it was the Lord's 
will that an outward expectation, which too much prevailed, 
should be disappointed ; for a word was not uttered in 
it. Here we lodged at the house of a physician, whose 
wife is a gay woman ; to whom a loving invitation was 
extended in the morning before we left, which was accept- 
able to him, if not to her. On second day morning, on 
our way, we called to see a dear Friend by the name of 
Emma Elizabeth Woodward, who went with us to Layer- 
Breton, where we had a refreshing time, and some present 
were, I believe, comforted, she appearing very acceptably in 
supplication. 

We returned to Coggeshall this afternoon, where I met with 
our dear aged friend, Wm. Rickman, yet alive, and green in 
his old age, being now in his eighty-seventh year. This even- 
ing at five, we attended the Select Quarterly Meeting for 
Essex, in which it was my lot to labor, and I found peace. 
Next day, the 13th, attended their Quarterly Meeting, which 
was pretty good in the forepart, but grew painful to me 
toward the close. There was seen a disposition in some, 
who were not enough baptized themselves, to meddle with 
things which belonged not to them, and to call others to ac- 
count who were much better than they. These forward 
spirits demanded the answers to the queries from the Select 
Meeting and had them read in the meeting at large. I left 
this meeting deeply pained, and passed the following night in 
great affliction ; but next morning, at Witham, my tongue 
was loosed, and way being made for testimony and supplica- 
tion, I found the truth of that saying that " Sorrow may en- 
dure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." Afternoon, 
at Maldon, we had an open meeting, and took tea at Robert 
and Phebe Alsop's, with whom I felt good unity, and in them 



OF HIS TESTIMONY AT CHELMSFORD. 107 

found affectionate, sympathizing friends. They attended five 
or six meetings with me. On fourth day evening, the 14th, 
we went to Chelmsford, and on the 15th, had a meeting with 
Friends there in the morning ; where my testimony related to 
the fall of man, and the loss of the Divine image. The intro- 
duction of that of the wicked one was explained, and the effect 
thereof was brought very closely home to the states of some 
present, and some, too, who might think themselves very wise ; 
and as afterwards appeared, it sat very uneasily upon some 
of this description. In the evening we had a public meeting, 
at the close of which, several solid Friends expressed their 
satisfaction ; and our dear friend, Rebecca Christy, a minister 
who sat by me, alluded to the meeting in the morning with 
much interest, saying, she left it rejoicing on her way, and 
weeping as she went. 

On the next morning, at the house of our Friend Joseph 
Marriage, where I lodged, came a person with a grievous 
complaint against my ministry there, especially in the morn- 
ing, declaring that meeting to have been the most painful 
one he ever sat in, and that he was not alone in this opin- 
ion of my ministry. I said but little to him, but let him 
know that I was not at all surprised that my testimony lay 
heavy upon some who were in that meeting ; nor yet that 
there were more than one who were uneasy with it. After- 
wards I came to a full understanding that this man and his 
brother-in-law profess to be very knowing about preaching, 
and though not Elders in the Society, take much upon them, 
in reproving and dictating to the ministers, and appear to be 
restless under the testimony of Truth ; and, as I believe, 
because they cannot bear sound doctrine, being lifted up in 
their minds ; but as to the meeting in the morning above 
alluded to, I have rarely had greater assurance in my own 
mind, of a right opening, and a better declaration, in my 
little experience ; and well knowing that I went to meeting 
entirely empty-handed and unarmed, desiring to follow the 
pure unfolding of the gospel message, if it should be my lot 
to preach ; I believe, through much favor, that Jerusalem was 
that day searched, and some of the iniquities within her 
detected and reproved; but whether those to whom that 
reproof belonged will hearken to it, or harden their necks 



108 , JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

against it, is yet to me unknown. We went next day to 
Epping, and at six in the evening had a comfortable meeting 
with Friends there. The children of a boarding-school also 
came, to whom counsel flowed pretty freely. 

Next morning, the 17th, went to Tottenham, and lodged at 
Thomas Shillitoe's, and on first day, the 18th, attended their 
meeting in the morning, and that at Stoke-Newington, in the 
afternoon, both pretty solid meetings. To the latter belong 
William Allen, and John and Sarah Grubb. This evening 
we went into London, guided by our friend Peter Bedford 
who came here to meet us, and took us to his house and bade 
us welcome there as well as in the metropolis. On second 
day, the 19th, took a short view of the city, and wrote to 
America ; and on third day, in the morning, attended Devon- 
shire House mid-week meeting, and in the afternoon, went 
twenty -one miles to Hertford, and attended their Select Quar- 
terly Meeting, the same evening ; in which I offered something 
by way of encouragement. Next day, their Quarterly Meet- 
ing at large was favored, and the power of Truth was evidently 
with us. Here my kind friend Richard Thompson, who had 
been about seven weeks with me, as companion, took leave, 
and returned to his home in Yorkshire and I returned back 
towards London, and lodged at Mary Stacy's, at Tottenham ; 
and next morning, with George Stacy, went into the city, 
and attended Westminster Meeting, and in the evening, had 
a religious opportunity with Peter Bedford's silk-weavers, to 
some satisfaction. On sixth day morning, we attended their 
meeting at RadclifT, silent, and in the evening, the Peel 
Meeting, long silent, but way was at length made for some 
close communication. 

On seventh day, I was intending to visit Croydon School, 
but was too much unwell to do so, and have continued 
somewhat indisposed to the present time, which is the 28th 
of 3d mo. The Quarterly Meeting for London arid Mid- 
dlesex was held yesterday at Devonshire House, and an 
adjournment of it to-day; but I have not been able to 
attend it, in which allotment I am satisfied. In the after- 
noon I went in William Allen's coach, to his house at New- 
ington, and next morning, the 29th, feeling much better, 
returned, through London, to Peckham, where we attended 



SEEVICES IN AND ABOUT LONDON. 109 

their mid-week meeting, in which strength was given to do 
what appeared to be my duty. My dear friend Samuel May, 
of Ampthill, having joined me as companion, also attended 
this meeting. On sixth day, 30th, went to Croydon, and had 
a meeting there, where Friends of the county of Middlesex, 
have a boarding-school of one hundred and fifty scholars, 
who also attended this meeting, and I had a comfortable 
hope that some good was done. Here we lodged at John 
Barclay's, (a descendant of the Apologist,) an exemplary, 
consistent Friend, and minister in good esteem. Next day 
went to Wandsworth, and had a meeting there, in which an 
alarm was sounded to some who were believed to be unfaith- 
ful to the visitations of Divine Grace ; and I found great peace 
in this day's labor. Lodged here at the house of our kind friend, 
John Bell, a minister; and next morning, being first of the 
week, and first of the 4th mo., went again to London, and 
attended Grace- Church Street meeting, in which I had much 
close, searching labor, and therein had peace. And after 
meeting, at the house of Cornelius Hanbury, Plough Court, 
I met, for the first time in England, with my dear friend, 
Stephen Grellet, just arrived in the city, from Uxbridge, much 
unwell. He went home with William Allen, to rest and 
recruit. 

This afternoon, we attended their meeting over the bridge, 
in that part of the city called South wark, — nearly silent ; 
and afterwards went to Peckham, and lodged. Next day, 
wrote letters to America, and went to Deptford, having a 
meeting at six o'clock in the evening, in which I was led to 
speak of the ministry, — of the times and seasons, as well as 
of the immediate quickening of Divine Truth, as the only 
qualification for rightfully and profitably preaching the gos- 
pel of Christ. I had no information of there being any one 
present, who professed such a calling, but found afterwards,, 
that there was a preacher there, who, it seems, felt very rest- 
less under my testimony ; and he opened to me, next morning, 
his mind upon the subject, saying, that he was disposed to 
think such an one might teach the people properly enough,, 
without waiting upon God for the influence of his Spirit- 
The discovery of such a sentiment as this, entertained by a 
professed minister of our Society, was, indeed, a great grief to 
10 



110 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

me. And I could but see, that if this should become general, 
our testimonies concerning worship and the ministry would 
be lost and trodden under foot of men ; for if our ministers 
abandon that patient, reverent, and silent waiting upon God, 
for strength and a renewed qualification, as well as for the 
matter to communicate, their offerings will certainly be no 
better than salt which has lost its savor ; and we should soon 
get into the form, without the power. Next day, we went to 
Rochester, and lodged at the house of our dear, aged friend, 
Wm. Rickman, and the day after, attended their Monthly 
Meeting there, in which I thought the Truth favored us. 
The day following, went to Canterbury, and had an evening 
meeting; thence to Dover, and had, in the morning, a very 
solid meeting, and, in the afternoon, another at Folkestone. 
On seventh day, went to Hastings, lodging at Richard P. 
Rickman's, and next day, attended their little meeting there, 
kept up only by a few young Friends who have recently 
settled in this place on account of trade. There I met with 
Rachel Rickman, a young woman of much stability of mind, 
to whom I felt nearly united, in the bonds of gospel fellow- 
ship. She rests, as I trust, upon the true foundation, the 
Rock of Ages. And this I was made sensible of, when sit- 
ting silently beside her, both in meeting and out of meeting. 
With this little company at Hastings, we had a precious and 
highly favored meeting, — the current of gospel communica- 
tion and of intercession flowed freely. I was comforted and 
refreshed by this feast of fat things, and my heart was lifted 
up with thanksgiving to the Lord. On second day, the 9th, 
had a meeting at Lewes, dined with John Rickman, and then 
went to Brighton, and attended the Select Quarterly Meeting 
the same evening. 

At this time he again wrote his wife as follows : — 



FROM J. W. TO HIS "WIFE. 

Brighton, 4th mo., 10th, 1832. 

MY BELOVED WIFE, 

* * I have recently been greatly comforted 
and strengthened by the receipt of divers letters from thee and the 
children, as well as from other dear friends in America ; and truly no 



LETTER TO HIS WIFE. Ill 

one can tell, but by experience, how good and comfortable it is to get 
fresh accounts from their near relations and friends while thus travel- 
ling in a distant land, and meeting with an entire new set of strangers 
almost every day ; and having to sit down with them where they sit, 
which sometimes is not in the most delightful place, but often brings into 
much painful exercise, and sometimes, to pretty close dealing ; but when 
that proves to be needful, I have, in almost all cases, been favored to do it 
in a way that tended to gather rather than scatter ; but in two or three 
instances, what I have delivered, has set so close upon a few, that they 
have manifested some restlessness, and have, in two instances, tried to 
get me to take it off them ; but truly, their management confirmed me in 
the belief, that the garment fitted and set well on them ; moreover, 
some solid Friends who knew the circumstances, gave me to under- 
stand that I had nothing to fear from them, inasmuch as my communi- 
cations applied to the state of things there, and to these individuals in 
particular. * * * * If thou hast received all my previous let- 
ters, thou wilt find that I left Sheffield, in Yorkshire, on the 6th of 2d 
month, and passed through many of the midland counties on my way 
up to London, where, thou wilt have heard, I arrived on the 18th of 
last month ; but afterwards went back into Hertfordshire, and attended 
their Quarterly Meeting ; then returned immediately to London, and 
attended all the meetings in the city and its neighborhood, which I left 
on the 2d inst., and went into the county of Kent, to Rochester, and 
there was at Wm. Rickman's, who was in America some years since ; 
and then to Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone, Hastings, Lewes, and so to 
this place ; keeping mostly on the sea-shore since leaving Dover. The 
King and Queen reside here much of their time ; their palace is in the 
midst of the town, and but a few yards from the house of our friend, 
John Glaysier, where I am now writing; but they are at present in 
London. I have a prospect of following the shore about eighty miles 
further west, and then wheel to the north and northeast, making towards 
London, so as to be at the Yearly Meeting, if it should appear safe, on 
account of the cholera, which, I hear, has very much abated there 
within two or three days. I never fail to think of thee, my love, every 
day, but have thought more of thee within a few days than usual ; and 
thy letter produced very lively emotions in my mind, and sympathy 
with thee in thy bereaved and tried state ; and the desire and prayer of 
my heart is, that thou mayst be strengthened and enabled to hold out, 
until in the ordering of Truth the time shall come for me to be restored 
to thee again. And He whom I have ever found to be good and kind 
to all who trust in his providence, and patiently endure all their priva- 
tions, will stay and support thee, and lighten every burden ; and by 
looking to Him, and dwelling near his power and the pavilion of his 



112 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

goodness, thou wilt find him to be thy present helper and thy exceed- 
ing great reward ; which, my dear, is my longing desire for thee and 
for our dear children, relations, and friends. * * * * 

Thine in dear love, 

John Wilbur. 



The Quarterly Meeting at Brighton was held on the 10th, 
in which the public labor fell to my lot, as also the next day, 
at their Monthly Meeting, and both to good ' satisfaction. 
After the latter, I travelled thirty miles to Chichester, and, 
next day, the 12th, had a meeting with the few Friends there ; 
after which, I went to Portsea, and had an evening meet- 
ing, where only two members of our Society live ; but sev- 
eral others came in, and we had an open time, wherein consid- 
erable encouragement was administered. Next day, we went 
to Southampton, and had a meeting at six o'clock, and I was 
much enlarged in the gospel amongst them. On seventh 
day, the 14th, I went to Poole, and lodged at Win. and Mary 
Binns's. We have now travelled from Dover, nearly two 
hundred miles by the sea-shore ; the meetings attended are 
mostly very small, and the state of things, in divers places, 
very low, but still it seems to have been a time of awakening 
and renewal, and I have some hope that my arduous labor 
among them will not be wholly lost ; and I feel abundantly 
bound to acknowledge the goodness of God in affording help 
to me, a poor, unworthy laborer, as well as encouragement to 
this scattered people ; for they are few in number, and live re- 
mote from each other. 

At Poole we attended their morning and evening meetings, 
which were open, especially the former, in w^hich I was much 
enlarged in doctrine ; and, in the latter, to some who were in 
a state of great barrenness, as regards religion, some close 
and alarming hints were given. Next day, the 16th of 4th 
mo., we went to Fording Bridge and had a favored meeting, 
and the 17th, to Andover, having a meeting with T. H. and 
his family, which constitutes the whole meeting. It was now 
a silent one. I was surprised that a meeting of Friends 
should be sustained by a gay family like this, for there was 
no appearance in their habit like Friends, except in his wife ; 
and she a good deal in the background as to dress ; nor did I 



DEPARTURE FROM THE PRINCIPLES OF FRIENDS. 113 

think the meeting kept, or the testimony supported, to the 
honor of Truth. 

Next day we went to Basing-stoke and had an open meet- 
ing there, and the day following to Alton and had another, in 
which the people were strongly cautioned against departing 
from the advanced ground which our worthy predecessors had 
taken. But alas! when I came to mingle with a large com- 
pany of them in the evening, I found that there was already 
a great departure from our principles, and the testimonies of 
Truth, as professed and practised by our primitive Friends ; 
and I felt restrained from much familiarity, lest I should quiet 
their consciences, and, in some degree, become a partaker in 
their deviations ; for besides the gayety of their dress, I found 
that some of them were practising the compliments and con- 
versation of the world, and were bold in it. Next day, went 
to Guilford and had an evening meeting, and much close, 
searching labor ; finding, as I apprehended, much obstruction 
in the minds of some, which prevented the flowing of the 
gospel current; however, much labor and some encourage- 
ment were bestowed upon the young people. At this place, 
my kind friend Samuel May left me, and returned home, and 
Daniel P. Hack of Brighton met me here, in order to accom- 
pany me for a time. On the following day, we visited a sick 
Friend and travelled to Godalming, where, on the following 
morning, we had a meeting with Friends, and much labor in 
it, and quietness followed. The state of things here is mourn- 
fully low ; most of the children of Friends have left the So- 
ciety ; divers of those from the first families have joined the 
Episcopalians, and some of those who have not, would not 
be suspected of belonging to the Society of Friends. In the 
evening we had a meeting with the town's-people, in which I 
was much opened and enlarged in declaring the practical doc- 
trines of the gospel, and the meeting concluded with solemn 
supplication. We found that the principal Friends of this 
place did, some years ago, join with what was called the Bible 
Society, composed of bishops, priests, and people of divers 
denominations ; and if the parents could cordially join with 
the hireling clergy and others, in an association for the pur- 
pose of promoting religion, by spreading the Scriptures, the 
children, not being able, as might be supposed, to distinguish 
10* 



114 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

soberly between such an association, and one distinctly for 
the purpose of religious communion, were led away, as is 
believed, by a frequent association with such, and induced to 
join with other denominations. In the early time of the Bible 
Association, it appears that the clergy rather courted the 
favor of Friends — made very free with them, and spoke very 
interestingly to them, and of them, and this naturally pro- 
duced its like in Friends, and for want of being sufficiently 
guarded, it is to be feared that they were, in too many in- 
stances, pleased with these worldly dignitaries, who thus 
obligingly smiled upon them, and of course Friends were 
induced to speak well, yea, and to think well of them ; hence 
the young people among Friends, who had not the maturity 
of judgment to make the right allowance and discrimination, 
were gradually prepared, by what seemed to them a kind of 
toleration, not only to embrace their parents' associate, the 
priest, but his principles, too. For the motto is true, " The 
better we like a man, the less we dislike his principles or con- 
duct." 

It is fully my belief that when Friends have joined with 
the clergy and others, in those religious and benevolent asso- 
ciations, it has had a very insidious tendency, to a compro- 
mise of principle, and to a dimming of the beauty, or lessen- 
ing the estimation of our testimonies ; if not to the quieting 
of the consciences, and allaying the convictions in their minds 
relative to that oppressive and wicked thing of forcing a main- 
tenance from Friends and other dissenters, as well as from 
their own members. And I think Friends will not stand clear 
of iniquity in thus joining, unless they are plainly honest, 
and give them clearly to understand that by thus joining with 
them in a good thing, they will not be considered as conniv- 
ing at their practice in other respects, nor partakers with them 
in their deeds. 

These observations, made on the state of things at Godal- 
ming, will, I apprehend, hold good if applied to many other 
places in England, and, although, as some Friends have 
suggested, this intercourse, by means of these associations, 
may have been of some apparent benefit to others, yet I am 
persuaded, from my observation and sense of the thing, that 
4he unguarded usage and familiarity allowed in such inter- 



OBSERVATIONS ON MINGLING WITH OTHER PROFESSORS. 115 

course have done a vast deal more harm to us, than good to 
them. And if by such an intercourse, they should one day 
be found in greater unison with us, in principle and practice, 
I suspect it will be owing not so much to their advancement 
as to our retrogression. 

I am not able to discover any more safety in our mingling 
with other people, than there was for the Israelites under the 
law. The command to them was " thou shalt dwell alone," 
but we need not suppose that this was a prohibition to others 
from joining with the Israelites or their peculiar testimonies. 
The restriction upon Israel, regarding an intercourse with 
other nations, was far from a preclusion of all others from the 
favor of God. The Moabites, Edomites, and Ishmaelites 
were all the descendants of Abraham and Lot his friend, and, 
in their way, were religious people, especially the two former 
nations ; nor do I remember to have seen any account that 
the Israelites were commanded to exterminate either. But 
now, in the present day, it may be argued that other sects are 
also professors of Christianity, as well as we ; and so it may 
also be said that some of those nations believed in, and wor- 
shipped the same God, and, like Israel, offered slain beasts 
upon their altars, by the hands of a priest ; an undeniable 
representation of the office and offering of a mediator. And 
they were not probably farther behind the testimonies of their 
neighbors, than the generality of professors are, in the present 
day, in faith, behind the pure testimonies of the primitive 
Quakers. And, if needful, I should have no fear of losing 
anything by detailing a comparison of all the essential differ- 
ences. Balaam had, undoubtedly, been a man highly favored, 
— a prophet, — and might have remained so to the end of his 
days, but for his giving way to love the wages of unrighteous- 
ness — the bane of religion then, and the bane of religion 
now ! 

If a union were to take place between our Society and 
others, it would evidently be a great loss, both to ourselves 
and the world at large, if we were to meet them upon any 
other ground than that premised by the gospel, in its exalted 
and pure state — the high mark aimed at, and, in an eminent 
degree, come to, by our predecessors. Below this, there is no 
object to be looked for, or obtained, that can possibly make 



116 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

amends for its loss or abandonment. If we, by joining with 
other professors, might contribute in any way to the bringing 
of the heathen to their standard, if, at the same time, it led to 
the levelling of our own, — the loss would be vastly more to us, 
than the gain to them. But we cannot join them, in their 
way, in a missionary concern to the heathen, or to any other 
people, but at the expense of our noble testimonies. 

It was undoubtedly because the Israelites had peculiar tes- 
timonies in advance of others, that the Almighty prohibited 
their intercourse with them. He who searcheth the heart and 
trieth the reins, knoweth the weakness of man, and his liabil- 
ity to assimilate to the opinions of those with whom he inti- 
mately associates ; therefore, lest the Israelites should imbibe 
the views and ways of their neighbors, to the loss of their 
own testimonies, He put a prohibition upon an intimacy with 
them. Human nature is the same now as it was then ; hence 
it is as needful now on the part of our Society to maintain 
the boundary, or line of demarkation, as it was then for the 
Israelites, lest our doctrines and testimonies be lost in the 
common mass of formal and literal professors. 

In the course of my travels in England, I have heard 
Friends speak favorably of, and even apologize for, the prac- 
tice of the clergy, in the collection of tithes of all the land, 
alleging that he who buys land buys it so much the cheaper 
on account of the tithe, and he also who rents a farm is con- 
sidered on account of the tithe that it is liable to ; and he 
who buys land that is tithe-free, pays more for his title than 
he would do if the tithe rested upon it. All which admitted, 
still, whatever effect or difference of bearing there may be 
upon buying or selling, renting or letting, it proves nothing in 
favor of the principle of tithes ; for every additional demand 
upon the land, whether tithes or taxes, tends to squeeze and 
press down the farmer, (and in this country they are mostly 
tenants,) and to increase the burden, both of the farmer and 
of the laborer ; for if the farmer has a very heavy burden 
upon him, it is impossible for him to pay as much for labor 
as if the demands upon him were lighter. 

Now, to test the foregoing question, we will suppose a man 
has a farm to sell or let, situated in a place where it is subject 
to be robbed and plundered by freebooters, of much of the 



TITHES.— ANCIENT MEETING-PLACE AT JORDAN'S. 117 

fruit that can be grown upon it, insomuch that the owner 
cannot sell it or let it for so much as he otherwise could ; is 
this any justification for robbery and freebooting? 

But some plead further excuse for the clergy, inasmuch as 
the law of the land makes it their right. To this argument, 
I would reply that the laws of the Carolinas, as I have been 
informed, tolerate the kidnapping a free person of color, wher- 
ever he can be found in those States, and authorize the kid- 
napper to sell him as a slave, and put the proceeds of the 
traffic into his own pocket. Now, I would ask, do these laws 
palliate the wickedness of such a deed, in any way whatever? 
How much more, then, does an unjust law, made in the bar- 
barous reign of Henry VIIL, palliate this unjust practice of 
forcing away a part of the poor farmer's produce, when it is 
grown by the industry of his hand, and the blessing of Di- 
vine Providence ? 

On second day morning, the 23d, we went to Horsham, 
where we had a meeting that evening, and, next day, to Ifield. 
At this place we had a meeting in the morning, and, in the 
afternoon, went to Capel and had an evening meeting there, 
and, on the day following, to Dorking, where, at eleven, we had 
a very favored meeting, and in the evening we had a meeting 
with Friends at Reigate, and paid a visit to a valuable min- 
ister, now aged, and so infirm as to be confined to her bed, 
but in a precious, sweet frame of mind; and it was truly 
comfortable to be with her. Next day, we had a meeting in 
the morning at Esher, and in the evening at Kingston-upon- 
Thames ; and all, I think, during the last week, might be 
called seasons of favor, although, in several of them, some 
close matter was administered. The day after, we went to 
Staines, and had a meeting there in the morning, which was 
truly a refreshing time to me, and I believe also to Friends. 
We then went to Uxbridge, and had an evening meeting, in 
which I was much enlarged in doctrine ; and on seventh day, 
on our way to Amersham, we made a little stop at the ancient 
meeting-place at Jordan's. The house and premises are kept 
in good order, though no constant meeting is kept there. In 
the burying-ground lie, in one row, the remains of Wm. Penn 
and his two wives, Isaac Pennington and wife, Thos. Ellwood 
and wife, and Geo. Bowles and wife. We dined at Samuel 



118 JOUENAL OF JOHN WILBUE. 

Allen's, at Amersham, and afterwards went to High Wy- 
combe, where, next day, the 29th of 4th mo. and first of the 
week, we attended their fore and afternoon meetings. I was 
silent in the former, and pretty long so in the latter, but a 
way was finally opened to recur to the signs of the times, and 
to allude to the various ways and means which the enemy of 
man's happiness has adopted, for the last two centuries, to 
lay waste the Christian church, so called, alternately inducing 
them to exclude either the one or the other part of the true 
Christian covenant ; that unbelief of either that part relating 
to what has been done for us without us, by Christ's outward 
coming and mediation, or in his second coming, without sin 
unto salvation, by his grace, spirit, and power in our hearts, 
to our practical guidance into all Truth — that an unbelief in 
either of these legitimate members of the Christian covenant, 
will frustrate our salvation ; and the Friends present were 
therefore exhorted to faithfulness in the whole covenant of 
Christian redemption, and assured that neither part could be 
safely dispensed with. 

Next day, the 30th, went to Maidenhead, and had a meet- 
ing with the few Friends there, and afterwards to Reading, 
and had an evening meeting, to good satisfaction. We lodged 
with our beloved friends Thomas and Susanna Bigg, both 
ministers, she having once visited America on a mission of the 
Gospel. Their company was cheering and comfortable. Next 
day afternoon, went to Newbury, and had an evening meet- 
ing there ; and divers of the town's-people, by seeing us pass 
towards the meeting-house, discovered that a stranger had 
come, and soon came and sat with us, and a precious meet- 
ing we had. Next day, went to Farringdon, had a very un- 
settled, painful meeting ; for I do not think there were more 
than ten minutes at any one time, when there were not some 
either going out or coming in, and a number of the Friends 
themselves were not clear of restless conduct; yet the dis- 
turbance was mostly owing to the rude behavior of some 
children, who came in from the street ; but truly my mind 
was pained, more than all, on account of what, I apprehended, 
was the state of some who, in point of age, were not children. 
Next day, the fifth of the week and 3d of 5th mo., went to 
Cirencester, and had a very open and savory meeting there in 



LETTER TO HIS WIFE. 119 

the morning, and, in the evening, one at Painswick. On 
sixth day, went to Gloucester, where we had a silent meeting. 
This was a day of great distress and conflict of spirit, inso- 
much that I felt entirely unfit either for meeting or company, 
for conversation was very painful to me ; nevertheless, as two 
meetings were beforehand appointed, I could do no less than 
attend them ; and in that in the evening, which was at Chel- 
tenham, my burden and darkness began to be dispelled, and 
my tongue was loosed, and I seemed to myself like one raised 
from the dead ; and it was a favored meeting. 
Here he wrote to his wife as follows : — 

FROM J. W. TO HIS WIFE. 

Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, 5th mo., 5th, 1832. 

MY BELOVED WIFE, t 

***** Be assured that neither distance nor time can lessen 
the love and sympathetic feeling which abounds in my heart, and flows 
towards thee and all our dear children ; and my desire and prayer to 
God for you is, that if it be consistent with his blessed will, he would 
preserve your health and spare your lives, so that I may see your faces 
again in the flesh ; and what is still of vastly higher consequence to 
you and to me, that you may be enabled always to live in his fear, and 
to reverence and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing 
mind ; and then come what may, his blessing will rest upon you, and 
he will give you strength to endure whatever afflictions he may see 
meet to permit to fall in your way. And this dispensation of Divine 
Providence which has thus separated us for a time from each other will, 
I hope, through his blessing, be found profitable, not only to thee, but 
to me and to our children ; and I desire that the feeling remembrance 
of their absent and afflicted parent may in the end result in as much 
good to them as would my presence if I were with them ; and I often 
think of them with longings not easily satisfied, that love and joy and 
peace may be thine and theirs, to your mutual consolation and comfort ; 
and although I am often in the furnace of affliction, yet seeing it is 
preparatory for service, the better to do the work in which I am en- 
gaged, I repine not, but endeavor to rejoice in tribulation, hoping it 
may prove my preservation from falling; for truly, I daily see the 
necessity of divine preservation and protection, for I also clearly see 
that such a work as this cannot be done without danger and exposure 
to the temptations and attacks of the enemy of all good ; for he greatly 
envies all those who are endeavoring to weaken his kingdom ; so that 
they feel (if indeed wisdom be given them) the necessity of watchful- 



120 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

ness and prayer for preservation ; yea, and they also feel to want the 
prayers of all that are capable of feeling for them. And truly, my 
dear love, I think there are none who can feel so keenly as thou and 
our beloved children ; and I comfortably hope, therefore, to have your 
united desire and prayers for my preservation ; and I can but acknowl- 
edge that I feel much indebted to many congenial hearts in this land, 
who have made my life as their life, and have lifted up their hearts, 
yea, and their voices too, unto the Father of all our sure mercies, for 
my preservation and comfort. But after all, I am aware that preserva- 
tion is only to those who live near to Him, the fountain of love and 
light, in which the enemy cannot dwell. ***** 

Thine, J. Wilbur. 

On first day, we attended their fore and afternoon meetings 
at Tewksbury — silent in the former, but open in plain dealing 
in the latter. Next day, we went to Evesham, and had a 
meeting there at six o'clock, nearly silent on my part, but my 
companion, D. P. Hack, had good service. Here we lodged 
with our dear friend Richard Burlingham. The day follow- 
ing, went to Campden, and had a good encouraging meeting 
with four Friends, the whole number belonging here ; and 
afterwards went to Chipping Norton, where we had an even- 
ing meeting, very laborious; it was hard to make any impres- 
sion upon their hearts, — or, at least, upon some of them, who 
seemed to resist the message of truth. Next day, we went 
to Burford, and had a meeting in the room of Hannah Huntly, 
an aged Friend, unable to go out ; a sweet meeting it was, 
and my companion was exercised in supplication. (At this 
place, I received the first account of my daughter Hannah's 
illness.) From hence we went to Witney, and had an even- 
ing meeting there, where we met with our dear friend Amelia 
Brown : this was a heavenly, precious meeting, (to which 
many came who were not members of our Society,) and was 
concluded in prayer by our dear sister A. B. We lodged 
here at Daniel Rutter's, who went with us, next morning, to 
Charlbury, where much labor, by myself and my companion, 
was bestowed, and I have some hope that it was not in vain. 
After this, we travelled twenty-one miles to Abingdon, and 
sat with the two Friends who constitute this meeting, and a 
number of their neighbors, who also attended ; it proved a 
strengthening season, I believe, both to the visited and visit- 



LETTER FROM BETSEY PURINTON. 121 

ors. Next morning, Robert Allen, though aged, went with 
us to Wallingford, where also we had an open meeting, and 
that same evening, another at Henley. The following day, 
we went to Wycombe, and in the evening, to Amersham, 
and next day, first of the week, sat with Friends there in the 
morning, and an open, comfortable meeting it was. After- 
noon, at Chesham, where I was silent, but my companion 
had considerable service. On the 14th, we went towards Lon- 
don, and had a meeting at Brentford, which proved, after 
long silence, to be an arousing time, and I felt great peace. 
We arrived in London in the evening, and went to my former 
lodgings, at my dear friend Peter Bedford's. On third day, 
the 15th of 5th mo., I attended their Monthly Meeting at 
Southwark, and there met with my dear friend Stephen Grel- 
let, much improved in health. He had considerable service, 
but I was silent. Here a young minister, belonging to this 
Monthly Meeting, was very officious and active — his preach- 
ing, though literally correct, did not, in power, rise much 
above the letter. Next day, went to Hammersmith, and at- 
tended their mid-week meeting — very small, but way opened 
for some instructive counsel, and we were, in the end, re- 
freshed. 

The following letter was received about this time : — 

FROM BETSEY PURINTON TO JOHN WILBUR. 

Providence, R. L, 4th mo., 6th, 1832. 
***** Of our venerable friend, Moses 
Brown, now in his 94th year, it is not too much to speak often. Of 
his illness, thou hast probably heard ; since which, I have often heard 
it observed that his intellect appears brighter than for some time past. 
He is rarely missing from meeting, even when the weather looks un- 
suitable for his juniors, and can ascend the gallery with less difficulty 
than heretofore ; is quite active in our meetings for discipline, and has 
sometimes spoken in meetings for worship. At the time of the decease 
of his daughter-in-law, Avis Lock wood, he was so ill, that it required 
the assistance of two to get him into his chair, and his debility was so 
great, it was not thought he could long survive her, yet he sat through 
the meeting at the time of her interment, and when Wm. Almy suppli- 
cated, he was unable to rise, but spoke with much feeling and great 
brokenness of spirit, bearing ample testimony to her worth and exem- 
plary deportment since she had resided in his family, a period of more 
11 



122 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

than thirty years, and of his confidence in her peaceful close, — and fur- 
ther added, that it had long been the chief concern of his mind, that his 
days might wind up in peace with Him, whom above all others he de- 
sired to serve, and who only knew the conflicts through which he had 
passed, as well as the comfort and consolation received from his hands ; 
and now, while the outward man was failing, that the inward man 
might renew its strength ; that he might not be suffered to dishonor the 
Truth, or that cause he had, though feebly, endeavored to espouse ; 
and much more to the same effect ; and it was truly a baptizing season, 
and, I believe, there was not a dry eye in the room. Nicholas Brown, 
sat before me, and wept like a child, as did many of his gay relatives 
assembled with us, to whom M. B. spoke with much brokenness, as they 
took him by the hand, at the close of the meeting. 

* * ***** * * 

The account of the decease of dear J. Taylor was affecting, but we 
rejoice to hear of the good health of our other dear countrymen, who 
will, doubtless, attend the Yearly Meeting, in London, to whom is our 
united love. I often think of you, in your pilgrimage, but trust He 
that put forth is going before, not only in opening, but in filling from 
his own blessed storehouse, from whence things both ancient and new 
are brought forth, and though it may be no more than a few barley- 
loaves, or a few small fishes, it will, with the Master's blessing, sustain 
many a fainting soul. The longer I live, the more I feel the necessity 
of a deep indwelling with the spirit of Divine life, and as my dear, aged 
kinswoman, (Comfort Collins,) used to say, neither ' borrow nor steal,' 
however in want ; and this is not all, but to be content with our little, 
and neither suffer ourselves to be bought or sold, to gain the popular- 
ity of the world, or the applause of men. I speak not, my dear 
cousin, these things for thee, but in general ; being what I have often 
to watch against, lest, in my manifold weakness, the mess of pottage 
may slip between me and my Divine Master, against which the injunc- 
tion remains to be good — " Watch." 

******** 

Betset Purixtox. 



On fifth day, the 17th of 5th mo., I attended Westminster 
Monthly Meeting, where was also John Dimond, a minister 
from Exeter, who spoke pretty early in the meeting, but I 
was long silent, even after he took his seat ; at length, how- 
ever, a little opening came, and from great weakness I was 
made strong, or rather, the power of Truth was felt to flow 
through a medium of great weakness, and my spirit was 



ATTENDS LONDON YEARLY MEETING. 123 

comforted, and, I believe, the meeting edified. On sixth day 
I attended the Meeting for Sufferings, and on seventh day- 
rested. On first day, 20th, meeting fore and afternoon, at 
Devonshire-house, silent. On second and third day, was held 
the Yearly Meeting of ministers and elders, at Grace- Church 
Street, where my lot was suffering and silence. 

On fourth day, the 23d of 5th mo. began the Yearly Meet- 
ing for discipline, at Devonshire-house, and continued, by ad- 
journments until seventh day, the 2d of 6th mo. 

On sixth day, the 25th, I was at the public meeting over 
the bridge, at Southwark, wherein I obtained relief, and was 
comforted. On first day, the 27th, was, in the morning at 
Stoke Newington, silent, and at evening at Peel, enlarged in 
testimony and doctrine, I believe to the refreshing of many. 
On fourth day, the 3d, public meeting at Grace- Church Street, 
in which I was raised up and enabled pretty fully to speak of, 
and to recommend the whole covenant. 

Having never opened my mouth in any of the meetings 
for discipline until sixth day morning, the 1st of sixth mo., I 
then asked, and obtained liberty to pay a visit to women 
friends, in their meeting ; and my dear friend Charles Os- 
borne, finding a similar engagement on his mind, obtained 
the like liberty ; and we went together, and were satisfied in 
our labors with our dear sisters. Otherwise than this visit to 
the women's meeting, I was silent throughout all the meet- 
ings for business, and was greatly exercised therein, under a 
serious apprehension that everything was not right amongst 
them. In this meeting, great professions of faith in the me- 
diation and atonement of Jesus Christ our Lord, were made, 
and this profession was abundantly reiterated ; but still I 
mournfully felt a great want of that precious sweetness and 
savor of life, which gives weight and solidity, as well as 
power, to a meeting ; and without which, all the professions 
of faith, however high and glowing, as to words, are but as 
sounding brass, and a tinkling cymbal. And I am more and 
more confirmed in the belief that the most full and literally 
sound acknowledgment may be made, of faith in the blood 
and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our blessed Redeemer, and with- 
out any reserve too, but still it may be no more than in the 
oldness of the letter, and that, for want of believing fully in, 



124 JOUKNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

and of being really and practically quickened by the living 
power of the gospel, that calls to, and enables to keep the 
commandments of Christ our Lord, by whose spirit and 
grace we are sanctified through obedience. For those who 
livingly believe are thus sanctified, through obedience ; and 
those who are thus sanctified, cannot be otherwise than be- 
lievers. 

On account of overwhelming afflictions and weakness of 
body, I was not able to attend the concluding sitting of the 
Select Yearly Meeting on seventh day evening, the 2d ; for 
my mental grief was such that I could not refrain from ex- 
cessive weeping, after the conclusion of the meetings for dis- 
cipline ; so, under the kind superintendence of my friend 
Geo. Crosfield, I went immediately to my lodgings, and re- 
tired to my chamber, where my head was as waters and mine 
eyes as fountains of tears, in weeping for the backsliding of 
the sons and daughters of my people, occasioning the face of 
the Beloved to be so turned from us, in the day of our great 
necessity. 

From London he wrote to his wife and children as fol- 
lows : — 

London, 6th Mo., 3rd, 1832. 

MY DEAR WIFE AND CHILDREN, 

On the 30th ultimo, I received letters from T and A , 

which is the third time I have heard from you, since the sickness 
of our dear Hannah ; by which, and taking her constitution into 
the account, and her increasing weakness, I am inclined to think, 
that I must give up seeing her any more ; and oh ! if it is to be 
so, how do I desire that she may be fully prepared for a heavenly 
mansion, and that she may have a well-grounded hope towards 
God, through the mercies, mediation, and redemption of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, the blessed means appointed for the salvation of all 
who will come to him, believe in him, and walk in the light of his 
blessed spirit. If she should yet be in mutability when this letter ar- 
rives, I hereby send her the assurance of my dear and tender love, 
and great longing for her joy and consolation in the Lord, and in the 
consummation of his love and goodness ; even that which has the 
blessed effect of bringing us into resignation to his adorable will ; and 
gives to us the consoling evidence that we are his ; and that we love 
him. Then we shall be able to believe, that whether in sickness or 



LETTER TO HIS FAMILY. 125 

health, whether in life or death, we are the Lord's ; and that he has 
provided a blessed mansion for us. How I desire that this may be the 
hope and faith of us all, my dear and precious wife and children, and 
that we may be invariably resolved, so to seek the Lord, and to walk 
in his love and fear, that we may find him to be near to us, and to keep 
us from evil. 

I have in the main borne up pretty well under the afflictions which have 
seemed to await me of late ; both as it regards the state of things with 
you, and those immediately connected with my engagements here ; but 
my lot has been a tried one, during most of the time of this long Yearly 
Meeting which concluded yesterday, and, including the Select Meeting, 
has been in session now two weeks, having two sittings every day but 
one, all of which I have attended except the last. Some things that 
have transpired, have been painful to me, as well as to many others. 
This meeting had a proposition before it, referred by minute from last 
year, to enter into some measures " to carry the knowledge of the 
gospel to the heathen," by raising a fund for the purpose ; but there 
appears to be various minds, as it regards the appropriation of it. 
Some are for helping other societies in their missions — some are for 
encouraging our ministers to go forth to convert the heathen ; and 
others only to encourage school teachers to go and instruct them. Al- 
together, it produced a very painful excitement in the Yearly Meeting, 
but was eventually carried so far that a committee was appointed to 
consider the subject, and report next year. In all the discussions 
before this meeting, I found it my place to be silent ; but have had 
pretty extensive service in the public meetings during the Yearly 
Meeting, at Grace-Church Street, Southwark, and Peel ; and a very 
relieving time in the women's meeting. My prospect is to stay about 
London for a week or so, but not in the city ; and then to pass 
through the west of England and Wales, attending some meetings in 
those parts, and about the last of the 7th mo. to go to Ireland. Daniel 
Prior Hack will probably keep with me a month longer, when my 
friend George Crosfield proposes to meet me again. He is now in 
London, and has during the course of Friends' deliberations, evinced 
much weight of character ; and the suggestions of none were better 
attended to, nor, as I think, more to the purpose. I expect to leave 
London the day after to-morrow, and spend a few days at Croydon, 
ten miles from this place, with John Barclay, a plain, honest, interest- 
ing Friend, and a direct descendant of the Apologist. He and his 
affectionate wife seem very desirous that I would spend a few days at 
their house ; and as I feel to want a little rest, and time to write, I 
conclude to accept their kind invitation, and take a little country air. 
Thomas Shillitoe has just been in my chamber, and desires his dear love 
11* 



126 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

to you all. ***** Give my love to all my dear friends, 
and I should take pleasure in naming many, if time would admit. In 
great love I am yours, 

John Wilbur. 



On third day, the 5th of 6th mo., I went to Croydon, to 
the house of my friend John Barclay, to rest a few days, and 
next day attended a marriage there, — silent. 

On sixth day, had a solid time with the scholars here. On 
first day, with Friends in the morning, and others in the after- 
noon, both solid, open times. My dear friend, Ann Coning, 
from Yorkshire, being here also, had good service in the pub- 
lic meeting. On second day, my friends John and Mary 
Barclay went with me, by postchaise, to Peckham, and made 
a social visit to Samuel Cash and wife ; and next morning 
went to London, where we attended Devonshire-house week- 
day meeting, and also their Select Meeting. Here I was 
much opened in doctrine and exhortation, and reminded 
Friends how much had been done for the Society in that city, 
both early and late, and of the impression I had had of it 
that morning, as I had walked their streets ; and called upon 
them, in much feeling of gospel love, to come faithfully for- 
ward in support of the testimonies which had been given our 
fathers, and us, to bear ; and in conclusion, the youth were feel- 
ingly and affectionately invited to a full submission to the 
grace of God, and the blessed power of the gospel. Much 
solemnity was felt to spread over the meeting. 

On fourth day I was at Grace- Church Street Meeting, and 
Select Meeting. Here I was shut up for a while, but, at 
length, light sprung up, and a call and invitation were ex- 
tended to come to the one blessed source of eternal strength 
and power, even to Christ Jesus, our hope, the Rock of Ages, 
and the author of our salvation. 

By the attendance and service of these two meetings, my 
mind was considerably relieved of a burden that had rested 
upon it, through much of my stay in the city this last time, 
and I now felt easy to leave it for the present. I went, the 
same evening, to Abram Rawlinson Barclay's, (brother of 
John,) who, with his sister Lydia, were very kind. Next day, 
sat with Friends at PI ai stow, and had some close, relieving 



TRAVELS AND LABORS AFTER THE YEARLY METTING. 127 

service among them ; made several calls, in a religious way, 
and dined at Samuel Gurney's. In those calls, I was accom- 
panied by his sister, Elizabeth Fry, and by Mary and Lydia 
Barclay ; we returned, and lodged again at A. R. Barclay's, 
and, next morning, called at Robert Barclay's, (another broth- 
er,) whose wife is sister to Hannah C. Backhouse, now in 
America. After this call, I went to Tottenham, and spent 
two days in writing, and visiting Friends there and at New- 
ington ; and on first day, the 17th, went to Winchmore Hill, 
and had a blessed meeting there, wherein tongue and utter- 
ance were mercifully given, iboth in testimony and supplica- 
tion ; — the Lord be praised forever, for he is my only helper ! 
In the afternoon, I was at their large meeting at Tottenham, 
which was rather laborious and painful ; and as much peace 
as at some other times was not experienced. 

Here my kind friend, Daniel P. Hack, again joined me as 
a companion ; and on second day, the 18th of 6th mo., went 
to Hemel- Hempstead, and had a meeting there at six o'clock, 
which was pretty long silent and painful, but at length the 
clouds were dispelled, and the trumpet of alarm was blown 
among them, and my companion joined me in calling them 
to the life and power ; and the meeting ended well. Here 
my former kind companion, Samuel May, came twenty-three 
miles to meet with me, and we were rejoiced to see each 
other ; he stayed the night with me, and then we parted. 

Next day, went in the morning to Berk- Hempstead, and 
had an open, soul-solacing meeting, in which the invitation 
of the gospel of Christ ran forth like the limpid stream, to 
the watering and contriting of several tender minds among 
the young people ; and, I believe, that all were sensible of the 
precious descending of the celestial shower that fell upon us, 
— blessed be the name of Israel's helper ! Afternoon, went to 
Aylesbury, and had an evening meeting with the few Friends, 
and a considerable number of their sober neighbors, — very 
open, and the doctrine of life and power was exalted over 
form and ceremony. Next day, had a painful, silent meeting 
at Buckingham, and went, the same evening, to Adderbury, 
where, on the following day, we had a heavenly, solacing 
meeting, and my companion was exercised in living prayer. 
From hence we went, the same evening, to Banbury, and had 



128 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

a comfortable meeting there, and, next day, at Sibford, which, 
on my part, was silent ; and this example of silence was, I 
trust, in the Lord's will and purpose ; being confirmed, near the 
close, that there are too many attempts at preaching here. 
After this, we went to Eatington, and lodged at Jeffrey 
Low's, and next day, with the very small number who belong 
here, we had a sweet opportunity, and exhortation and en- 
couragement went forth freely, especially to the young people. 
From thence to Warwick, where in the forenoon we sat with 
Friends, and, I believe, instruction was given, and help 
afforded to speak to the conditions of many present, some of 
whom were broken into tenderness. Afternoon, had a meet- 
ing with the town's-people, in which it appeared to be my 
business to open the plan of Christian Redemption, through 
the blessed mediation of Christ Jesus, outwardly and inwardly, 
and, as I continued speaking, the power rose and increased, 
and it became a solid, baptizing time. 

On second day, the 23d of 6th mo., we went back towards 
Banbury, and had a little meeting with Friends at Radway, 
in which the alarm was sounded to some, and encouragement 
to others, and we left peacefully, and came the same evening 
to Banbury. The Select Quarterly Meeting was held here the 
evening of our arrival, and next day, their public Quarterly 
Meeting, and that for discipline. I was silent throughout, and, 
as I believe, for an ensign and an example to others ; for there 
were many offerings made in this meeting, several of which, 
I think, might well have been spared. The same evening, we 
travelled fourteen miles to Shipston, and attended their Select 
Quarterly Meeting, in which my tongue was again loosed, 
both in doctrine, regarding the ministry, and also in sympathiz- 
ing encouragement to some of the weary travellers. Next 
day came on the public Quarterly Meeting, at which were 
many Friends in the ministry from different parts of the na- 
tion ; among them were Anna Braithwaite, from Kendal, 
Thomas and Susanna Bigg, from Reading, John Dimond 
from Exeter, and John Foster, from Luton. But the public 
service in the ministry fell mostly to my lot. On parting with 
my dear friends, Thos. and Susanna Bigg, w r e had a solid 
opportunity, and she manifested much sympathy and gospel 
fellowship with me, and cried to the Lord for his help and 



CONTINUED TRAVELS AND LABORS.— BRISTOL. 129 

guardian care over me, in these my travels and various exer- 
cises in a foreign land ; and also for my dear wife and chil- 
dren was this dear friend engaged to petition, that the Lord 
would be her hiding-place, and their care-taker. And such 
were the pourings out of my spirit towards these dear friends, 
thus made near in a foreign land, that I could tenderly recip- 
rocate their feelings and intercessions, insomuch that I did 
truly desire their safe keeping upon the sure foundation, and 
their happiness through the remaining toils of life. 

After this solid parting, we travelled to a place called Stow- 
in-the-Woalds, where, next morning, we had an opportunity 
with the few Friends there, and I was led to bear a full testi- 
mony against the spirit of this world, and too close a pursuit of 
it. From hence we went to Cirencester, and, next morning, 
to Nailsworth, and had a meeting there, — open and comforta- 
ble ; from thence travelled to Olveston, and lodged at John and 
Ann Beards, and, next morning, had a meeting with Friends 
of this place and those of Thornbury together ; it being the 
first of the week, and 1st of the 7th mo., and at six o'clock, 
had a meeting at Frenchay, where Friends from a neighboring 
meeting also met us. The first, was open and favored ; the 
last, laborious. We went, next morning, to Lawrence- Wes- 
ton, and attended their Monthly Meeting ; and here we met 
again with Amelia Brown with a certificate; but the labor 
fell upon my companion and myself. From here we went to 
Bristol, and had a meeting, by appointment, at Friers, the 
same evening. This is called the largest meeting of Friends 
in England. Here I was pretty long silent ; but Truth arose 
at length, and we had a solid time with them. Lodged at 
Samuel Capper's, and next day went to Bath, where we had 
a very open, searching meeting. In the afternoon, at Calne, 
I was silent. We lodged at Wm. Gundry's, and next day, 
the 4th, went to Melksham, and had an open, interesting 
meeting there. Here reside our valuable friends, George 
Withy and Rachel Fowler, ministers in good esteem. The 
former not at home ; the latter is sister to Deborah Derby, 
once in America, but now deceased. We spent a little time 
with dear Rachel Fowler, at her son John's, very agreeably, 
and from here we went to Frome and had a precious, renew- 
ing time with a few there ; and then to Shaftesbury, where I 



130 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

had an awakening testimony to some, who, as I believed, 
were in much too easy a state. 

From this place we went to Marnhull, and had an evening 
meeting, — lodged with Wm. and Rebecca Bird, (late Rebecca 
Young ;) these Friends, though aged, seem to retain a precious 
portion of the savor of life. From hence we went to Wincan- 
ton, and had (on my part) a silent meeting ; we went, next day, 
to Yeovil, where we had a meeting, rather disturbed by two or 
three needless appearances; nevertheless, I was enabled at 
length to relieve my mind among them, and went, the same 
evening, to Bridport, and lodged at the house of our friend, 
William Forster, where we were affectionately entertained for 
two nights. Here, on first day, the 8th of 7th mo., we 
met with Friends, both fore and afternoon ; in the morning, 
I was silent, and, from some cause, under much exercise ; and 
in the afternoon, pretty long in the same state, but towards 
the close of the last, several passages came, in succession, be- 
fore the view of my mind ; to wit, Moses' testimony of Christ, 
" Him shall ye hear," — the voice from heaven at two different 
times, " This is my beloved Son, hear ye him," — that this 
was spoken in the presence of John the Baptist, of whom it was 
said, " Among those born of woman, a greater Prophet had 
not arisen, than he ; " and it was also said, in the presence of 
Moses and Elias, upon the Mount ; by which it seems that a 
distinguished preference was given to hearing, or listening to 
Christ, before the very best and greatest of men ; from which 
considerable doctrine was drawn, showing the necessity of 
adhering to the grace and spirit of our Lord and Saviour 
Jesus Christ. 

On parting with my friend W. F., he alluded to my visit 
and service here, and observed that he had full assurance that 
it was in the ordering of wisdom, and that my communica- 
tion applied directly to some states present ; for that there 
were some in that meeting, who were dissatisfied with him be- 
cause he did not preach to them more ; and having learned that 
I had been frequently silent, he observed that it would give 
weight to my service. On the 9th of 7th mo., we went to Exe- 
ter, where, next day, we visited several aged and infirm friends, 
and had a laborious meeting in the evening, wherein a jeal- 
ousy was entertained and expressed, that the glory of the 



CORNWALL.— LETTER HOME. 131 

Lord was given too much to another, and that they were too 
much making flesh their arm ; but although I sat very long, 
silently distressed, and afterwards also labored long among 
them, yet, after all my travail and labors for the obtaining of 
good, I found not a consummation of it, but left them with a 
heavy heart at last. 

Next day we went to Kingsbridge, where we had a precious 
meeting in the evening. An exhortation to faithfulness, and 
the language of encouragement, flowed, like the limpid oil, to 
some present, whose minds were much humbled and tendered. 
Next day we went to Modbury, where we had an open meet- 
ing with a few, and then to Plymouth, to Sarah Abbot's, 
where I received letters from home, by which I learned that 
there was now no expectation of the recovery of my dear 
and precious daughter Hannah, who has now been in declin- 
ing health for three months, or nearly so, and of whom my 
accounts heretofore had not been so unfavorable ; but now I 
find that I must give up all expectation of seeing her any 
more in this world. And oh ! how my heart is broken down 
in tenderness, under the consideration of losing, thus, in my 
absence, so precious a child, innocent and lovely ! I feel also 
great commiseration for my dear wife, in her affliction, under 
the prospect of losing her, thus in my absence, and feel inex- 
pressible tenderness for the dear child also, in her sufferings 
and prospect of seeing me no more in mutability ; and for all 
my dear children, to whom this must be a very trying dispen- 
sation ; and, although I cannot forbear weeping, yet I know 
that resignation is best, and I pray that God may give it me. 

At Plymouth we had a meeting with Friends, and labored 
much in a doctrinal way, open and satisfactory. Our next 
was, the same evening, at Tideford, very open and com- 
fortable. 

From this place he wrote to his wife as follows : — 

Tideford, Cornwall, 7th mo., 13th, 1832. 

MY DEAR WIFE, 

Last evening, at Plymouth, I received thine of the 3rd of 6th mo., by 
which I find that I must now give up our dear child into better hands 
than ours, and apprehend that I must see her no more in this world. I 
had not, before the receipt of this letter, entirely given her over ; and 
however, I trust, I have some assurance that she will, if she leave time 



132 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

now, be received into the arms of our good and blessed Redeemer ; still 
my heart is much afflicted and melted down before the Lord, in con- 
sideration of the circumstance of my now being in a distant land, and 
not able personally to mingle in feeling with thee and with the dear 
sufferer, and our other dear afflicted children ; for I am very sensible 
that you all must be greatly tried in the prospect of this dispensation, 
and more especially seeing that I am not, nor can soon be with you in 
body ; but oh, my dear, I am much with you in mind, and weeping 
with you and over you. And, oh, that I could but embrace my dear 
child before she goes hence ! but, even now, if I should leave my work 
undone here, and embark as soon as possible, there seems to me to be 
much doubt of arriving timely to see her again ; so that I am brought 
to a great strait, and had a sorrowful night for the last ; but having two 
meetings appointed for to-day, and some distance to travel between 
them, I seemed to be under the necessity of attending them ; but truly, 
in travelling the road, I have wept as I have gone, and strewed my 
tears in a land of strangers ; and surely I have said, I am a man of 
sorrow and acquainted with grief; but still thy cause for grief is the 
same as mine, and I doubt not that it is more sensibly felt by thee than 
by me ; but I do desire that thou may be supported through all, and 
be enabled to trust and confide in the goodness and power of our blessed 
Helper. And oh ! if our dear child should be living when this comes 
to hand, tell her that the prayers of her absent father are lifted up with 
tears and great tenderness for the support of her precious mind under 
and through this solemn dispensation, and that the Lord Jesus would 
make her his own, and sanctify and fit her for a joyful inhabitant of his 
blessed kingdom, where, through the mercies and protection of redeem- 
ing Power, I hope also one day to arrive. Oh ! how full my heart is 
of unbounded love towards her. Tell her never to be dismayed at the 
dark vale through which lies the. way to life and glory, where the re- 
deemed shall come with everlasting songs of honor and glory to the 
Lord, and where all sorrow and mourning and trouble shall cease, 
and joy unspeakable shall be their portion forever and ever ! 

* * * With the assurance of great love and tenderness of 
feeling, which words fall short of expressing, I am thine and yours, 

J. Wilbur. 

The next day we went to Looe, and met with four Friends, 
their full number, of whom Sarah Tucket is a minister in 
good esteem. From hence to Liskeard, to John and Eliza- 
beth Allen's, to lodge ; and here we had a meeting with 
Friends in the morning, and with others in the afternoon, — 
both highly favored, the first remarkably so. Here lives a 



TESTIMONY AT WELLINGTON. 133 

valuable minister by the name of Samuel Rundell, on whom 
we called. Next day, to Austle, where we had an open 
meeting, and from thence, next day, to Redruth, and had a 
meeting at three o'clock, and the day following attended their 
Monthly Meeting at Falmouth. In these last two meetings 
I had much to say, yet there was not that free flowing as at 
some former times ; and I found it needful to step carefully, as 
I could see but one sentence at a time. On the next day we 
turned back, (having come pretty near to the land's end in 
Cornwall,) and came to Truro, where we had a meeting, first 
with Friends, in which the current of the gospel ran freely, 
and it was felt to be a heavenly time ; then, in the evening, 
had a meeting for the town's-people, long gathering, but quite 
open when settled, and much Christian doctrine was commu- 
nicated to them ; but many of them appeared to be in great 
ignorance as to the true substance thereof; yet it was, upon 
the whole, a pretty satisfactory opportunity. From hence we 
went to a place called Wade-Bridge, and had a very sat- 
isfactory little meeting with Friends there ; then went on 
towards Tavistock, and stopped to dine at a place called 
Launceston. Here we viewed the ruins of the old castle 
where George Fox was once imprisoned. 

On first day, the 22d, we attended their meeting at 
Tavistock, morning and evening, to good satisfaction, and on 
second day travelled thirty-three miles, through Dartmoor 
Commons, to Exeter> and lodged at John Dymond's, and next 
day to Spiceland, and had a meeting there, pretty open, and 
then went to Wellington, and lodged at Sylvanus Fox's, 
where, next day, we had a meeting, in which my labors were 
mostly on the subject of the ministry, wherein understanding 
and strength were given me clearly to show and demonstrate 
that the key of David has never yet been committed into the 
hands of any man since the world began, save the man Jesus 
only, and that by him every opening must be made for the 
preaching of the gospel, or every attempt for it will be in 
vain. There are five or six persons here, who stand in the 
station of ministers ; but from my feelings and opening in this 
meeting, an apprehension attended me that there is some 
unsoundness, either in faith or practice. From this place we 
went to Taunton, and had a meeting there the same evening 

12 



134 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

— laborious and searching, and some were thought to stand 
in great jeopardy of their lives, having, as I was led to 
believe, much to do, and but little time wherein to do it. 
From Taunton we went to Street, and, on the 26th, had a 
meeting there, in which it fell to my lot to bear a faithful 
testimony against the doctrine of unconditional election and 
reprobation, and to show the effect of action and reaction 
upon Christendom, for two or three centuries past, by which the 
prince of darkness has wrought to the spoiling of the church. 

The Calvinistic doctrine has been one extreme, and the 
Armenian and Socinian the other, and the enemy has been 
driving many of the professors of Christianity from the one 
to the other, ever since the Reformation, which he hated with 
a perfect hatred ; and has done all in his power to frustrate 
the good designs of God in his attempts to bring his church 
again out of the wilderness ; and has but too well succeeded 
in leading to great extremes, and even to gross infidelity on 
the one hand, and to the abominable doctrine of uncondi- 
tional election and reprobation, on the other. And it appears 
that too many in membership with us are strongly tinctured 
with this last-named opinion, in this day in England, to the 
great grief of the honest-hearted. And I am persuaded that, 
where the leading and operation of divine grace is overlooked, 
or lightly esteemed, although at the same time great profes- 
sions are made, of faith in the atonement, (precious in itself,) 
that there will be a direct tendency to fall into the heinous 
doctrine of election and reprobation. And such, I have 
ground to fear, is the case with some rather conspicuous 
characters in the Society ; of which cases, on account of their 
standing and influence, it would be difficult to take cognizance 
by way of discipline ; so that the aspect of things in divers 
places, looks gloomy and mournful. On sixth day, the 27th, 
we had meetings at Long Sutton and Bridgewater — the 
former trying, on account of a worldly spirit, and the latter 
silent. Next day I wrote to my family, and went to Sidcot, 
and had an opportunity with the scholars the same evening ; 
and next morning, first of the week, and 29th of 7th mo. at- 
tended their meeting, and was silent therein ; but my com- 
panion had some service. 

The following is an extract from the letter above referred 
to:— 



LETTER HOME— ALARMING ILLNESS OF HIS DAUGHTER. 135 

Bridge-water in Sommersetshire, 7th mo. 28th, 1832. 



MY DEAR WIFE, 



****** j n consequence of the intelligence conveyed 
by thy last letter, connected with other things incident to such a work 
as this, my pilgrimage is truly a mournful one ; and I have thought in 
passing along that I have now been made to know more of the Cross 
of Jesus Christ our Lord, than I ever knew before; being thus separat- 
ed from thee, my dear companion in tribulation, and from all our dear 
children, without ability to participate personally in the greatest conflict 
which ever outwardly occurred in our little group and vineyard of 
precious plants, I often feel as if I must take the wings of the morning 
and fly to your relief, and bathe in tears of commiseration with you, 
for they are flowing freely while I am writing these lines, as they have 
often done of late in my mental visits to you, which have been very 
frequent. I have often placed myself among you, and beside the lan- 
guishing bed of our dear child ! but I must forbear of this melting 
strain : my heart is too full to follow it ; and I must look to the stay 
and staff which has through all in great mercy been given me to lean 
upon, and by which I have been supported far beyond what I could 
have supposed ; so that the work is going on as usual, and I have 
often had to marvel in meetings that I was so lifted up to declare the 
gospel of life and salvation among the people, when at other times I 
have felt myself much more an object to be ministered unto than to 
minister. * * * * In great love to you all I conclude — espe- 
cially to our dear H. if she be yet with you, and oh ! that she may 
freely and fully resign herself into the good hands of her God, and of 
her father's God, to whom with great tenderness and intercession for 
his mercy I resign her, believing in the faith of the gospel that I shall 
joyfully meet her again, if not in this, in the world to come. 

J. Wilbur. 

In the afternoon, attended meeting at Claverham, where I 
was also silent. Here I met with my dear friend Geo. 
Withy, and lodged with him at his daughter's ; next day 
went to Chew- magna, and had an open meeting with the few 
there. Next day we went to Bristol, and attended their mid- 
week meeting, to which also came Geo. Withy ; the public 
labor fell to my lot, in which I found peace. From Bristol, 
we went to Olveston, to John and Ann Beard's, where we 
rested two days, and attended their mid-week meeting, and 
on sixth day, went to Claverham again, to attend a funeral, 
where I was still silent, I believe for the reason that preach- 



136 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

ing is made too easy there. We lodged at John Naish's, 
and next morning visited the widow and children of the de- 
ceased, with whom we had a solid, refreshing season ; and in 
the afternoon returned to Bristol, and lodged again with my 
dear friend Samuel Capper ; and next morning, which was 
first day, attended this large meeting, in which my companion 
first gave testimony to the Truth, and after him, way was 
opened for blowing the trumpet of alarm among them, and I 
believe many were brought to a deep searching of heart. In 
the afternoon, having a cold and hoarseness, which had been 
upon me several days, and feeling easy to omit the afternoon 
meeting, I went to Frenchay; having now parted from my 
kind friend, and fellow-traveller, Daniel P. Hack, he feeling 
easy to return home. On second day, the 6th, attended their 
Monthly Meeting, — open and instructive. Whilst here, I 
wrote to my friend Moses Brown, in America, and therewith 
sent him the work of Priscilla Gurney ; wrote also to several 
friends in England, from Frenchay. 

On fourth day, the 8th, I went to Bristol, and took passage 
in a steam-packet to Newport, a town lying on the north side 
of Bristol Channel. Here, next day, I attended their Monthly 
Meeting, and although weak in body and somewhat hoarse, 
yet was considerably enlarged in testimony, and felt peace. 
Here it was concluded to leave our horse and chaise to meet 
us at Brecon, where the Half- Year's Meeting was to be held. 
My friend, John Beard, having given up, for a time, to bear 
me company, joined me at Frenchay, and came hither with 
me. From this place, I took postchaise, with John and 
Elizabeth Harford, for Swansea, in Wales, where we arrived 
the next evening, and took lodgings with Robert and Jane 
Eaton, with whom I had before some acquaintance. Here, 
being much indisposed, I stayed several days, rested, and 
took medicine. But on second day following, feeling a little 
better, I set out with the same friends, and travelled in the 
same way, towards Brecon, where we arrived the next after- 
noon, and took lodgings at an inn. Here the Half- Year's Meet- 
ing for Wales was to be held ; and the Select Meeting sat this 
evening, to which came Elizabeth Fry, and her brother, and 
companion, from Plaistow, near London. In this meeting I 
had a testimony to bear concerning our belief in regard to the 



FEARFUL APPREHENSIONS FOR THE SOCIETY. 137 

ministry, — exhorting my brethren and sisters, exercised in the 
office, to trust in, and hold fast their belief in the pure open- 
ing of the divine Spirit. Here was also Sarah Squire, a min- 
ister from Huntingdonshire. Next day was held, in the public 
hall, their Half- Year's Meeting, for the principality of Wales- 
This was, to me, a painful meeting throughout ; the Master's 
seal not being seen upon every offering made here, and my lot 
was to set an example of silence. A public meeting was pro- 
posed for this evening, by Elizabeth Fry, and appointed, of 
which I had no sight, and took no part ; and being indisposed, 
I kept to my chamber, and there mourned over the state of 
things in this land, being fully aware that there are many 
in the station of ministers, who are, in great measure, lost, 
as to the times and seasons, the openings and the shuttings 
of the blessed spirit of the gospel, and whose minds seem 
to be so beclouded and darkened, that the true shining is not 
seen to go forth with brightness as in primitive times, nor as a 
lamp that should burn through the whole gospel day ; and 
it is greatly to be feared that there are some who are leaning 
too much to their own understanding, instead of waiting, in 
patience and meekness, on Jesus Christ, the great minister, 
who always keeps the key in his own hands, and openeth only 
when he will, and to whom he will. And as I did heartily 
unite in spirit with my dear friend, Charles Osborn, in the 
Women's Yearly Meeting, in taking up the lamentation of 
Jeremiah, viz : " Oh, that my head were waters, and mine 
eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for 
the slain of the daughter of my people ! " so I continue to 
mourn, and to feel like adopting the prophet's subsequent 
language of grief, as I pass through this land, "How is the 
gold become dim ! how is the most fine gold changed ! the 
stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every 
street ! The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, 
how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the 
hands of the potter ! " For lo ! some who have shone appar- 
ently as stars of the first magnitude, seem to be in danger of 
a total eclipse ! The outward standing and influence of some 
is such, that the case seems almost, if not entirely, irremedi- 
able, and what the result of things will be, is difficult to 
foresee ; but many there are among this people, who are truly 

12* 



138 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

awakened to serious and fearful apprehensions, lest this So- 
ciety should be shaken from its foundation. 

From Brecon we went to Leominster, in Herefordshire, in 
company with Edward and Eliza Southall, to the house of 
their mother, Mary Southall. Here, on the 19th of 8th mo., I 
attended their fore and afternoon meetings, which were satis- 
factory. In that in the morning, I had some clear and striking 
openings, as it regarded the leading and direction of some, and 
my dear friend E. S. took it to herself, and seemed astonished, 
after meeting, that her prospect and exercise should be so 
plainly opened to another, and was broken into tears of ten- 
derness. On second day, we had a meeting at Hereford, and 
returned again to Leominster the same evening, where we 
rested until fifth day, the 23d, and wrote ; after which, we 
went to Bromyard, with E. and E. Southall in company, 
where, next morning, we had a good meeting, in which the 
last-named E. S. was sweetly exercised in prayer. After this, 
we went to Worcester, and had a meeting there the same 
day, — very painful, in which I had some close, searching 
labor ; fearing that some things here were not altogether as 
they should be, and too many mere literal professors. On 
seventh day, we went to Birmingham, and next day, attended 
both their meetings, wherein I was much opened and en- 
larged in unfolding the substantial truths of the gospel, and 
mercifully favored with the blessed ownings and help of the 
Shepherd of Israel, — praised be his holy name ! 

On second day, we had meetings at Stourbridge and Dud- 
ley, and the day following, travelled twenty -four miles to Coal- 
brookdale, and lodged at Barnard Dickenson's. Next day, we 
had a satisfactory meeting there ; and my dear friend E. S., who 
had continued with us hitherto, now returned home. On fifth 
day, the 30th, we went ,to Stafford, and lodged at an inn, and 
next morning, had a little meeting there. At this place, I met 

with C T , whom I had seen before at Sheffield, — a 

convinced Friend. She was here now on a visit to her sisters, 
who are professors in the Church of England, and pretty strong 
in their opinions. We breakfasted with them, and way opened 
for some pretty free conversation, so that then* prejudices ap- 
parently gave way, and three of them came to our meeting 
for the first time, — a blessed meeting it was, — the life and 



LETTER TO HIS WIFE. 139 

power of Truth being prevalent among us. These three sis- 
ters were seen upon their knees, while I was exercised in 
prayer. From Stafford, we went to Leek, and lodged at 
Toft Chorley's ; and next day, to Stockport, and lodged at our 
dear friends, George and Ann Jones's ; and on the first of the 
week, to Manchester, where Ann Jones also went, and we at- 
tended their large meeting, both fore and afternoon ; in the 
morning, the service fell to my lot, and afternoon, mostly to 
Ann Jones, — both were satisfactory meetings. On second 
day morning, having been met here by my dear friend, 
George Crosfield, we went with him to Liverpool, where Ann 
Jones also soon came ; and she, with George and Margaret 
Crosfield, and Jonathan Flounders, went into an exami- 
nation of a series of letters which I had written to George 
Crosfield on religious subjects ; and it was their united opin- 
ion, that the state of things required the publication of such 
matter as is contained in these letters ; and, with some revi- 
sal, it was thought best to publish them. 

While in this neighborhood he wrote as follows to his 
wife : — 

West Derby, near Liverpool, 9th mo., 7th, 1832. 

MY DEAR WIFE, 

* * * My health is good, and I am continuing to pursue the 
service before me as way opens for it ; but my progress as to travelling 
has been rather more deliberate of late, on account of other service of 
a peculiar nature, which, I hope, will not long protract my journeying 
forward. I have hitherto been very cautious in hinting, to any one on 
that side the water, the state of things here ; but, truly, their aspect 
is unpleasant and unpromising. How much, or how great, is the im- 
pending danger, cannot well be determined now ; still I am disposed to 
hope for the best ; but never did the necessity appear so great, of being 
truly wise in that wisdom which is from above, especially for those 
whose business and allotment is assigned them in turning the battle 
to the gate. My situation, then, my dear wife, is one of unusual exer- 
cise, requiring great watchfulness ; and I feel to desire the prayers and 
uplifted intercessions of thy spirit, and of all my friends in that much 
wished-for country. 

The state of things above alluded to, has already lengthened my ser- 
vice here ; and how much more it will do so, I cannot now foresee. My 
prospect, however, continues to be, to go to Ireland before a great while. 
There are many here, and some among the foremost rank, who are dis- 
posed to think, that the writings of Robert Barclay and others among 
our ancient Friends, are incorrect, and do not hesitate in so saying ; 



140 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

and further say, that the Scriptures are " the Word of God," and the 
first, if not the only rule of practice, as well as of faith ; and recom- 
mend that ministers rely upon them more and more for a qualification 
to preach. And there appears to be such a powerful reaction from 
the Irish and American secessions, that not a few Friends here are 
alarmed, lest while many are fleeing from Admah, they will bring up 
at Zeboim. ***** 

My love is to thee, my dear, and to all our children and friends. 

John Wilbur. 

I stayed some days about Liverpool, and attended their 
meetings as they came in course ; and on second day, the 
11th of 9th mo., set out for Nantwich, in order to attend 
Cheshire and Staffordshire Quarterly Meeting there, which 
convened on fifth day, the 13th, and was a profitable time. 
After it was over, I went to Chester, and, on sixth day, had 
an open meeting there, and returned to Warrington, where 
I met with my dear friend Charles Osborn, from my own 
country, with whom we conferred about the publication of 
the letters, of which he fully approved, and so I proposed 
going to London, to lay them before the Morning Meeting 
for adjudication ; but was informed that such was not the 
usage now in England ; which, though well known, George 
Crosfield thought best to have official information of from 
London, and wrote to William Manly for correct informa- 
tion. (He is the Recording Clerk of the Yearly Meet- 
ing, the Select Yearly Meeting, the Meeting for Sufferings, 
the Morning Meeting, the Quarterly and Select Quarterly 
Meetings for London and Middlesex, and the Six- Weeks' 
Meeting.) He informed my friend George Crosfield, by let- 
ter, that it was not the practice of Friends in England to 
commit the inspection of manuscripts for publication to the 
Morning Meeting, as had been heretofore the case ; and so I 
left the disposal of them to George Crosfield and other friends, 
to do as they thought best with the letters. 

About this time he received the following letter : — 

FROM JOHN BEARD TO J. W. 

Olveston, 15th of 9th mo., 1832. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

I fear thou wilt think me neglectful in not writing to thee before ; 
but one of my reasons is that I have been suffering from one of my old 
attacks, but am thankful to be able to say I am better. On my arrival 



LETTER FROM JOHN BEARD— EMBARKS FOR IRELAND. 141 

home I found my dear Ann in good health, which is a great favor in this 
awful time. I think I may inform thee also that, for some days, my 
mind was raised in thankfulness to the Shepherd of Israel, for his good- 
ness towards one of the most unworthy of all his flock ; but oh, that I 
may bow in humility at his footstool, and there crave the blessing of 
preservation ! I can truly say that the Lord is good ! Blessed is the 
man that trusteth in him ! Often, since I left thee, has my mind been 
led into deep concern for thee, my very dear friend, that thou mayst be 
strengthened to do all that thy gracious Master may have for thee to do 
in this land ; and though I am unworthy to encourage a brother in this 
important work, yet I am, at times, made thankful that he has called 
thee into this field, to labor for the promotion of truth and righteous- 
ness in the earth. I do feel as though I might encourage thee to go on, 
for he has said, " I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." What 
abundant cause there is for us to take courage, and go on in his blessed 
work and service ; for there are no joys comparable to the joys of his 
salvation. I hope, by this time, thou hast got on with thy little work, 
and that Friends have been brought to see and to feel with thee in it. 
Should that not be the case, I do hope thou wilt be enabled to bring it 
forward by the help of thy dear Master, who has called for it at thy 
hands. Great is the reward of those who do his will. That his choicest 
blessings may rest on thee, my beloved friend, not only on the present 
occasion, but in all thy further labors amongst us, is the fervent desire, 
— may I not say the prayer, — of my heart at this time. In quietness 
and confidence shall be thy strength. 

If, my dear friend, thou shouldst have to go again into the furnace 
of affliction, if He who was seen walking in the midst of the fire with 
the three children, be with thee, thou wilt have to rejoice, and not to 
wish thy suffering less. If it was in my power, I should be glad to bear 
a part of thy sufferings ; but that cannot be. May his eternal power 
be underneath to support thee. 

********** 
Believe me to be thy sincere and affectionate friend, 

John Beard. 

From Warrington I returned again to Liverpool, and stayed 
a few days more, and then went to Manchester and attended 
their Quarterly Meeting, which took place on the 19th and 
20th of 9th mo., where it was my lot to be silent, but my 
dear friend C. Osborn had good service. From Manchester 
I returned again to Liverpool, from whence I embarked for 
Ireland, and landed at Belfast, after a comfortable passage of 
eighteen hours, on seventh day, the 22d of 9th mo., having 



142 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

my dear friend George Crosfield for my companion ; and on 
first day, attended their fore and afternoon meetings at Bel- 
fast ; both open, favored meetings, but the last long silent. 
Next day I went to Antrim, and had a pretty close, search- 
ing time with the few there, having to say that I believed 
some of them had known better days. These were earnestly 
exhorted to repent and do their first works. From hence we 
went to Low Grange, and next day had an opportunity with 
Friends and a few of their neighbors, which was a pretty 
open time. After meeting we travelled twenty-three Irish 
miles, to Lisburn, and lodged at James N. Richardson's, and 
the day following had meetings at Ballindery and Hillsbo- 
rough. The former a precious opportunity, the latter long 
silent and laborious, with some very close, searching labor 
towards the conclusion. We dined with the wife and chil- 
dren of our friend Jacob Green, who was now gone on a 
gospel errand to America — a plain, interesting family. We 
returned again to Lisburn with Anna Richardson and her 
daughter Sarah, who had accompanied us to the last two 
meetings. 

On fifth day, the 27th, we attended their mid-week meet- 
ing at Lisburn, which was open and satisfactory. On sixth 
day the 28th, I received letters from my wife and daughter 
Lydia, informing me of the death of my dear daughter, Han- 
nah C. Wilbur. She had been sick about six months, some- 
times apparently convalescing, and then again more poorly, 
so that my accounts of her had been variable, and my mind 
had been much afflicted, on account of the sore trial to my 
family, as well as on account of her sickness and the proba- 
ble result of it ; and my state of separation from them and 
from my poor, languishing child ; and I not permitted per- 
sonally to participate with them in this great trial and afflic- 
tion. I was brought into deep searching of heart regarding 
this, my absence from my family ; but could not find that I 
was out of my place in the will of my divine Master, nor 
could I feel easy, from the first, to return to America, in order 
to see my dear child before she should go hence, until my 
service in this land be finished ; so I endeavored to be resigned 
to God's will, and wait his disposal of all things which per- 
tain to me and mine, and to commit all into his hands. But 



LETTER ON THE DECEASE OF HIS DAUGHTER. 143 

alas, when my apprehensions were realized, nature melted ; 
and I could do no less than shed a flood of tears ! But in the 
midst of all, as the account of her preparation for the event, 
and her resignation, were so satisfactory, I endeavored to re- 
strain my grief, and to moderate my weeping for the loss of my 
dear child ; and for the affliction of my dear wife and beloved 
children. 

On this occasion he wrote to his family as follows : — 

Lisburn, near Belfast, Ireland, 9th mo. 28th, 1832. 

MY DEAR WIFE AND CHILDREN, 

Whilst at breakfast this morning I received the letters bearing 
date 8th mo. 25th, which brought to me the solemn and heart-tendering 
account of the change that has transpired in our little company — that 
one of us is no more ! And however solid and satisfactory the evi- 
dence, that her precious purified spirit has gone to join the saints in 
light, when that which I had greatly feared was confirmed to me as 
having really taken place, my heart was filled with grief, and mine 
eyes poured forth a flood of tears ! and great was and is the commis- 
eration which I feel on her account. Dear lamb ! suffering — languish- 
ing in death ! — called to leave her dear, already bereaved mother, and 
all who on her lap were borne, save that little innocent which went 
before ! — nor father there to help to raise her hope — on whom to rest 
her drooping head, or unto whom to give her feeble hand ! Oh ! could 
I, but for an hour, have soothed her lovely spirit ! But why lament? — 
'twas more than earth could give. A precious mother by her bed, a 
little brother — sisters dear around. And what was more, and over 
all that earth can give, the angel of God's love, I trust, was there — 
supported her — supported all ! But now I know that all the parental 
feeling, and all >the longing of spirit, cannot reach or avail her in her 
mansion. Then I will endeavor, and let us all endeavor, my dear be- 
reaved treasures, to refrain from weeping, and to forego lamentation 
on her account ; for I am assured, that you have done the whole of 
your part, and as much of mine as was practicable ; and that all has 
been done that could have been done ; and if perfect acquiescence 
is our experience, then I trust we shall see that all is in the order- 
ing of Divine Providence, and that all is well. And O, I desire, how- 
ever trying, not to murmur or complain of his dispensations. The 
feeling of great sympathy now runs like a stream towards you who 
were witnesses of the scene of affliction ; and at the same time, my 
dear love, I have a heavy portion here in a strange land and among 
strangers ; but still there are some, where I now am, who are not 
wanting in sympathy and commiseration. My dear friend George 



144 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

Crosfield is here with me, and is a friend indeed, and sticks as close 
as a brother. And my friends, James N. Richardson and family, at 
whose house I now am, are exceedingly kind and affectionate to me, 
none could be more so. I had already been here for two or three 
days, and have been attending meetings in the neighborhood, and re- 
turning ; but to-day had been, before, reserved for writing ; and it is 
well that I had no appointment for it; for truly I could not have 
attended a meeting to-day ; and it seems now as if it would be very 
trying to attend those which had been already notified for the three 
following days ; still, I hope my mind will get a little settled by to- 
morrow. My way leads towards Dublin, where I had expected to 
arrive on the third or fourth of next week. My health is good, only 
as this day's mental excitement has produced some headache, which I 
hope a good night's rest will relieve. I came from Liverpool by a 
steam-vessel to Belfast, where we landed five days ago, and had a very 
fine passage. We did not come to Ireland quite as soon as I had con- 
templated ; but I apprehend my stay will not be very long. I have 
as yet found an open door here ; the meetings have mostly been much 
favored. ***** 

John Wilbur. 

On seventh day, the 29th, we had a favored and open 
meeting at Lurgan, and on first day morning at RAchill, in 
which ability was given to exalt the kingdom of Christ above 
that of the prince of darkness. In the evening, at Moyallen, 
long silent and painful ; when I thought the time had 
nearly come to conclude the meeting, a few words sprung up, 
altogether unexpectedly, with an impulse to repeat them in 
the meeting; which done, others came, and so, from less to 
more, the opening increased, and a searching time ensued 
among them ; the trumpet of alarm was sounded, and a prep- 
aration for a readiness to receive the last messenger, was 
closely recommended. 

On second day we had a large meeting at Grange, near 
Charlemont, where the doctrine of the fall, and the means of 
redemption, were largely set forth. This is, I think, the largest 
country meeting I have met with in Europe. After this 
meeting I returned with my dear friend, James N. Richardson, 
who had been with me for the last few days, to his house, and 
tarried there several days, being considerably indisposed. 

On seventh day, the 6th of 10th mo. travelled by coach 
seventy-two Irish miles, to Dublin, with J. N. Richardson for 



VISIT TO FRIENDS IN IRELAND. 145 

my companion. Here, next day, I attended their fore and 
afternoon meetings, which were solid seasons, especially the 
last. On second day we travelled sixty-three miles in the 
same way, to Enniscorthy, and with us also in the coach was 
our friend Sarah White, a minister of Dublin. Next day, 
attended their Monthly Meeting here, which was a favored, 
open time. , From Enniscorthy, we went the same evening, 
with the same friends, J. N. R. and S. W. to Forest, where, 
next day, we had a meeting to the searching of some hearts ; 
in which also S. W. appeared acceptably, both in testimony 
and supplication. After this we went to Ross, and had a 
public meeting there — open and favored. Here we lodged at 
Samuel Elly's, who went with us next morning to Waterford, 
where we attended their mid-week meeting ; large, but long 
silent and laborious ; and never, to my recollection, did I feel 
more empty of any good thing ; but after the meeting had 
been sitting nearly the usual time, my way was opened, and 
I had a close soul-searching testimony among them, wherein 
some present were told the danger of their standing, and I 
believe their ground was shaken. We took tea at evening 
with an ancient Friend by the name of Mary Watson, a niece 
of Samuel Fothergill. She has long been an honest and 
eminent laborer in the service of the gospel. She told me 
that when she went to meeting that day, she was very desir- 
ous that the stranger might be favored to get down to a clear 
sight of their condition ; and now she rejoiced that her desire 
had been realized ; adding, that on several such occasions of 
late, the preaching had appeared to her to have been too much 
on the surface of things. 

On sixth day I travelled to Youghall, and had a meeting 
there the same evening ; in which those present were exhorted 
to " prove all things and to hold fast that which is good ; " 
and in the course of my testimony, I came to the passage, 
" thy days are numbered — thou art weighed in the balance 
and found wanting ; " and I hope it proved a profitable meet- 
ing. Here I lodged at Abram Fisher's. Next day, travelled 
about thirty Irish miles to Cork, where on the first of the week, 
I attended their morning meeting, which proved a truly inter- 
esting time ; and feeling a concern to have a meeting with 
the town's-people, it was held at six o'clock in the evening. I 
13 



146 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR 

was extensively engaged among them in support of the doc- 
trine of Christ's outward coming, his character, offices, and 
sacrifice for sin, as well as of his inward and spiritual ap- 
pearance. 

A letter was received about this time from Margaret Cros- 
field, from which the following is an extract : — 

" Mount Vernon, 9th of 10th mo., 1832. 

" MY DEAR FRIEND, 

" I am much engaged at present, with company staying at our house 
and several other ways, but I am not willing to omit sending thee a 
line, though brief, expressive of my continued affectionate remembrance 
of thee, and sympathetic feeling in this sorrowful event that is permit- 
ted thee in the removal of thy dear daughter. — It is a sore trial to 
those that are left ; I know what it is ; but for the dear objects of our 
love, when we have hope that all is well with them, we cannot mourn 
their removal from a world in which even the best and most prosperous 
have many bitter cups to drink of. ***** I crave that thou may 
be supported under this sharp trial, whenever I think of thee, which is 
often, and thy dear wife also. 

<k I carefully transcribed thy manuscript while G. C. was with thee, 
and Thos. Eobson has read, and thinks well of it ; and it has been re- 
vised again by my husband, and I expect will be in the press, a part 

of it at least, by the middle of the week. 

********** 

" I have had the children very poorly, but they are better now, and 
I have a cold myself, but my mind is very well, and resolute in carry- 
ing forward the publication of these letters, believing the very fulness 
of time is come for something of the kind to be given forth, for the com- 
fort and encouragement of many faithful Friends, the strengthening 
of the weak and wavering, and the instruction of the ignorant ; and 
I am satisfied in that it has, in any degree, fallen to our lot to assist in 
raising again the ancient standard of Truth in this country, where Geo. 
Fox so faithfully labored ; and that which it will expose us to, from 
loose and careless professors, Ave are willing to bear for Jesus Christ's 
sake. — And now, I believe, I must bid thee farewell, and in a near 
feeling of love and unity, remain thy affectionate friend, 

"Margaret G. Crosfield." 

On second day, we travelled fifty miles to Limerick, and 
next day attended their Monthly Meeting, to much satisfac- 
tion. On fourth day, we went to Clonmel, and lodged at our 
ancient friend Sarah Grubb's, at a hamlet called Anner Mills ; 



VISIT TO FRIENDS IN IRELAND. 147 

she is an elder worthy of double honor. On the next day, we at- 
tended their mid-week meeting, and in it some close counsel 
was offered to a state of unfaithfulness. Two dear Friends 
bore witness to the appropriateness of such counsel. On the 
same afternoon, I visited the school formerly established and 
endowed by Robert and Sarah Grubb, and had a religious 
opportunity with the girls. At Clonmel, I also met with a 
young minister by the name of Ann Moore, and became 
more acquainted with her at the ensuing Quarterly Meeting 
at Waterford. On sixth day evening, went to Waterford, in 
order to attend the Quarterly Meeting there ; where I was 
met, the same evening, by my dear friend Chas. Osborn, he 
having crossed the Channel, this day, from Milford Haven, in 
Wales. We were mutually glad to meet again. On seventh 
day, 20th, attended the Select Quarterly Meeting, which 
proved to be a strengthening time. On first day, the 21st, 
were held two meetings for worship for the Quarterly Meet- 
ing of Munster Province. In the morning, the weight of 
public labor fell to my lot, and my mouth was largely opened 
in declaring the gospel of life and salvation. In the evening, 
my friend Charles Osborn was pretty large and lively in the 
ministry. On second day, the men and women Friends met 
separately to transact the business of the Society. In that of 
the men I was silent, but feeling an engagement to sit a little 
with the women, I had a precious, open time with them, both 
in testimony and supplication. 

On third day, they held another meeting for worship, as a 
parting opportunity, in which many testimonies were borne, 
but I was silent, although I had an opening pretty early in 
the meeting; but there occurred so rapid a succession of 
offerings, that I did not get forward to relieve my mind, and 
so carried away something of a burden with me. At the 
school meeting in the evening, which is a meeting for wor- 
ship, and open to all, I was exercised in imparting some 
counsel to parents, and had much peace in it. Whilst here, 
I lodged at Joseph Strangman's, and went several times to 
visit dear old Mary Watson, yet green and lively, both in her 
conversation and ministry. On fourth day morning, with C. 
O. and J. N. R. for company, I went by coach to Carlow, 
where we had a meeting the same evening, and I had much 



148 JOUBNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

close labor among them, and C. O. not altogether silent. 
On fifth day, we had a meeting at Kilconner, where the pub- 
lic service fell to C. Osborn. After meeting, to Ballitore, 
where, next day, we had a meeting, open and favored, and, 
in the evening, had a religious opportunity with the scholars, 
at their boarding-school. Next day, parting with C. O. and 
J. N. R., who went directly to Dublin, James Forbes came 
here and took me to his house, at a place called Christian 
Town, and next day I attended their meeting at Rathangan, 
in which my service was extensive. Next day, James Forbes 
bearing me company, we had a meeting at Edenderry, and 
then at Moate, Killconner, and Mountmelick, which were all 
satisfactory, and the states of the people, in measure, minis- 
tered to. From Mountmelick, I went home with my com- 
panion, and, next day, to Dublin ; and there, on first day, the 
4th of 11th mo., I again attended their large meeting, and 
was livingly opened in testimony and supplication, and led 
to pray that the little service done in this nation might be 
as a nail in a sure place, not to be moved. 

Afternoon, I was at their meeting at Kingston, which 
seemed painful at first, but ended well. And now, on the 5th 
of 11th mo., feeling clear of Ireland, and expecting to embark 
on board a steam-packet, at five o'clock this evening, for Liver- 
pool ; it seems proper for me to say, in conclusion of my visit 
to this nation, that, during my service here, it has been my 
lot to endure many inward and spiritual baptisms, as a con- 
tinual preparation for the service of the gospel in this part of 
the vineyard ; but the blessed Helper has been near, and pre- 
pared the way before me, and has given me strength to labor 
(as I hope) with some degree of success ; and I trust that 
his name has not been dishonored thereby. This, however, I 
must say, in humble thankfulness, that a flow of sweet peace 
is my joyful, though unmerited portion; and the language of 
my heart is, " The kingdom, and the power, and the glory are 
thine ! " 

At the house of Samuel Barclay, at Kingston, near Dub- 
lin harbor, we had a solid parting opportunity with divers 
Friends ; and our spirits were baptized together into that feel- 
ing which hath no fellow, and prayers were offered up for 
one another, and our hearts were melted into contrition and 



EETUEN TO ENGLAND— LETTER HOME. 149 

great tenderness, under the prospect that we should meet no 
more in this world. 

We arrived safely in Liverpool the next morning, after a 
boisterous passage ; both C. Osborn and myself were very 
sea-sick. This was on the 6th of 11th mo., and we stayed 
over their meeting on fifth day, the 8th, where both were 
silent. On sixth day, the 9th, with Ralph Neild for my com- 
panion, I set out for Yorkshire; went to Manchester that 
night, and, next day, to Sheffield, where, on the day follow- 
ing, which was first of the week, we attended their meetings ; 
open, and considerably enlarged in the morning, but silent in 
the afternoon. Here I lodged again with my dear friend 
William Hargreaves, under whose roof I felt very comfort- 
able. After the meetings at Sheffield, we lodged at Sarah 
Smith's, out of town, and on third day, we had a good, open 
meeting at Doncaster, where the gospel ran like a stream. 
Afternoon, went to Ackworth, where, the day following, we 
sat with them in their meeting ; which, though long silent, as 
to myself, was, in the end, a favored meeting. In this meet- 
ing, the governess of the girls' school was favored to bear a 
precious testimony, in the life and power of Truth. From 
hence, after parting with this interesting family, we went to 
Leeds, where, on the evening of the 15th, we had a meeting, 
much to my relief. 

While at Ackworth he wrote as follows to his wife and 
children : — 

Ackworth School, 11th mo. 13th, 1832. 

MY BELOVED WIFE AND CHILDREN, 

One week ago to-day, in company with my clear friend C. Osborne, 
I arrived at Liverpool from Ireland, and on the next day, I wrote to 
our son A. C. W., and after it was too late to write by the packet on 
the 8th thy acceptable letter of 10th mo. 4th, directed to me at 
Dublin came to hand, having lain in Liverpool, enclosed in a parcel, for 
ten days ; by some mistake failing to be forwarded. I directed A. to 
transmit to thee the substance of mine to him, by which I suppose thou 
will have become acquainted ere thou receive this, of my return from 
Ireland, health, &c. But still it may be some consolation for me to 
say in this, that in the exercise of my gospel labors there, the blessed 
Helper was mercifully very near to give strength to do his own 
work, far beyond what I had a right to expect through so weak an 
instrument ; and I was enabled to leave that field of labor in great 
13* 



150 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUE. 

quietness and peace ; by which I have reason to hope that my work in 
that nation is done. On sixth day morning last I left C. O. at Liver- 
pool and went directly to the residence of my friend Ealph Neild at 
Warrington, who now joined me as companion, and we went to Man- 
chester the same night, and on seventh day to Sheffield to William 
Hargreaves, whose daughter Lydia, a minister well beloved, desires her 
dear love to thee ; and having lost her only sister since I was last there, 
she seems to know how to sympathize with us in our afflictions. We 
stayed there two meetings, and yesterday went to Doncaster, and last 
evening visited Martha Smith, a very valuable minister now in declin- 
ing health; and in a little solid season with her, after I had spoken of 
the happy union of the disciples of Christ, she poured forth a solac- 
ing testimony of love and fellow-feeling with me, in the most endear- 
ing manner ; and also of her sympathy with thee and the children in 
my absence ; and expressed prophetically her belief that she saw in the 
openings of light that I should be again restored to you in peace, which 
to me were precious expressions. We had a meeting there this morn- 
ing, very open and precious, and arrived here about four o'clock, where 
Robert Whitaker and wife bade us a hearty welcome. We expect to 
attend meeting here to-morrow, and on fifth day to go to Leeds and 
have a meeting there, then to York on sixth day, and thus to finish 
with Yorkshire ; to a few places within which I have had many times 
to look back since I was here before. On second day we expect to go 
directly into Lincolnshire and so enter on a visit to the five remaining 
counties on that side of England containing about forty meetings ; but 
as they lie pretty scattering will probably occupy me till some time in 
the first month, when if well, I expect to go up to London, and attend 
some meetings again there and in the county of Middlesex, during the 
winter, and be ready, if Providence permit, to embark early in the 
spring ; and if blessed with the incomes of peace which, in connection 
with the honor of the good Name is most of all to be desired, will be a 
joyful day to me, probably as much so as any that I have ever experi- 
enced ; and towards which I dare not presumingly look, knowing that 
all things yet to come are in the hands of the Great Disposer of events. 
***** John Wilbur. 

A disposition is making its appearance in divers places in 
this nation, and among Friends, to think very little of the 
cross of Christ, practically, and to plead for liberality, both of 
faith and practice ; the perceptible influence of the Holy Spirit 
is mournfully deprecated by many members of our Society ; 
some of them in conspicuous standing, are now disposed to 



DEPARTURE FROM THE PRIMITIVE DOCTRINES OF FRIENDS. 151 

put the Scriptures in the place of the Spirit, and seem ready 
to hold them as the only rule of faith and practice, or guid- 
ance of Christians. This dereliction from principle, and inno- 
vation upon the always acknowledged doctrine of our Society, 
must have originated in the insidious wiles of the enemy, — 
a want of experience, and of the true knowledge of God 
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ; and by having 
their minds darkened through disobedience and unbelief in 
the true shining of the everlasting light and gospel of Christ; 
thus becoming disposed to throw off and reject the needful 
restraints of it ; and, notwithstanding they fully acknowledge 
the propitiatory sacrifice, with its blessed effects for the remis- 
sion of sins, and place great dependence upon it, yet, at the 
same time, Christ crucified, is to them, as to the Jews and 
Greeks formerly, to the one a stumbling-block, and to the 
other, foolishness. And there is much reason to fear that these 
wise and learned professors under our name, who seem dis- 
posed to look down rather contemptuously upon the old sort 
of Friends, are designing to bring about a change, in some of 
the prominent and essential doctrines of our Society, — such 
as the ministry and worship ; than which there can hardly be 
any two named, subordinate to that of faith in God and in 
the Lord Jesus Christ, which are more essential to the preser- 
vation and support of our religious compact. 

It is very evident, that if we should come to believe that 
the Scriptures, of themselves, are a sufficient guide in all the 
walks of a Christian life, then our silent, spiritual worship will 
ere long, sink into disuse, and our faith in the immediate 
renewing of the Divine Spirit, on every occasion of the minis- 
try, will be exploded. This result is a consequence that must 
unavoidably follow such a faith concerning the Holy Scrip- 
tures, however excellent they are, in subordination to the 
Spirit which gave them forth. 

From Leeds, I went to Rawden, and on the 17th of 11th 
month we went to York, and next day, the first of the week, 
attended meetings there, but I was silent in both. Here I 
rested one day ; and called to take leave of many of our dear 
friends, among w T hom were William and Ann Alexander, 
Hannah Murray, &c. 

On third day morning, the 20th, we went to Thorne, and 



152 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

had an evening meeting there, which was open and good, 
and next day to Gainsborough, in Lincolnshire, where next 
morning, we had an open, favored meeting, in which humil- 
ity and meekness were spoken of, as being prominent traits 
in the Christian character. The same afternoon, we set out 
for Broughton, and travelled about twenty miles to Lincoln, 
an ancient city, and the metropolis of the county. Here we 
had an interview with a few not of our Society, but who meet 
together on the first day of the week, at one of their houses, 
in the manner of Friends ; and, with these, we had a little 
meeting in our room at the inn ; towards whom counsel and 
encouragement were extended. Next day, the 23d, we arrived 
at Broughton, and had an open, weighty meeting, in which 
the persuasive language of invitation flowed freely. The day 
following we travelled twenty-eight miles to Boston, and the 
next day had a meeting there for them, and for Leak and 
Wainfleet, three small meetings together; the members where- 
of nearly all attended. On the day preceding, and through 
the night and this morning, my mind had been greatly exer- 
cised and bowed down before the Lord, under a sense of my 
own great weakness and frailty ; being almost ready to fear 
that the mercies of the Lord were entirely taken from me ; 
but after sitting in this meeting for a considerable time, under 
the same weight, my blessed Redeemer renewed in me again 
the word of life, and I felt to myself like one newly risen 
from the dead ; and to my own astonishment a trumpet of 
alarm was given me to sound among those gathered, I be- 
lieve, to the awakening of many minds. After this meeting, 
we went to Spalding, and lodged at William Massey's, where 
I received comfortable letters from several friends in England. 
Here next day I had an interesting meeting with Friends and 
a few Methodists, and in it was much opened on the subject 
of Divine knowledge, and the several means by which it was 
revealed to the children of men, together with some remarks 
upon sa notification, and the baptism of the spirit. 

Next we proceeded to Gedney, and lodged at the house of 
our valued friend Jonathan Hutchinson. Here we had a 
meeting on the day following, in which I had much to say on 
the obligation that rests upon us, to the support of our pecu- 
liar doctrines as a people. 



CONTINUED EXERCISES AND LABORS IN ENGLAND. 153 

On fourth day the 28th, in company with J. H. and daugh- 
ter, we went to Wisbeach, and next day, had a meeting with 
the few Friends there, in which it appeared to me that my lot 
was to be silent. They were not, however, without several 
attempts from others. After this we went to March in 
Cambridgeshire, and had a meeting the same evening, in 
which the people were reminded of the necessity of knowing 
our infirmities, and of asking and receiving a portion of the 
divine Spirit, whereby these infirmities are helped, and we are 
enabled to cease from doing evil, and to learn to do well. It 
was an open, good meeting, though most of those present 
were not members of our Society. Next day, the 30th, we 
went to Downham, where the day following we had a meeting 
with the few friends living there, and it was a close, search- 
ing time, for it seemed as if religion was at a low ebb here. 
The same afternoon we went to Lynn, and lodged at James 
and Cordelia Bayes's where next day, the first of the week, 
and 2d of 12th month we had a meeting, first with Friends and 
such as usually attend, and in the evening with others. Both 
of these were solid, interesting meetings, in which the pres- 
ence of the Ancient of Days was mercifully felt to be with us, 
and overshadowed us in rather a remarkable manner, espe- 
cially in the evening ; and I believe there is a seed sown here 
that will take root downward and shoot forth upward, and 
will be gathered to the elect and chosen of the Lord. 

We went next to Wells, and on the 4th, sat with the little 
number there, to whom the gospel was preached; and then 
we went to Holt, where we had an evening meeting with a 
few friendly people, to whom the language of encouragement 
flowed freely ; and here also I was persuaded of a little living 
seed, sown in the hearts of some, and trust that this seed was 
watered from the living fountain, and thereby refreshed and 
strengthened. Next morning, we went to North Walsham, 
and sat with a few wh^p compose a meeting there, in which I 
was not able to feel anything of the heavenly dew or rain for 
a long time. But at length way seemed to open to put to 
them an inquiry of what the cause might be, that the heavens 
were thus shut up, and such a famine prevailed in their land ; 
and from a little, my testimony increased to more, and I hope 
the opportunity turned to some profit. After this meeting, we 



154 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

had another at Lammas, which, at last, proved a pretty good 
meeting. Here we lodged at John Wright's, whose son went 
with us next morning to Norwich ; and we attended their 
mid-week meeting, where there was no want of preaching, — 
and I sat in silence. After meeting, we went to Grove, where 
lives Jane Gurney, the mother of Hannah C. Backhouse, now 
with her husband, Jonathan Backhouse, on a religious visit in 
America. Here we found three of their children, with whom, 
and their grandmother, I felt much sympathy. On sixth day, 
we had a meeting at Tasburg, to good satisfaction, and re- 
turned the same evening to Grove. On first day morning, I 
was much enlarged in their meeting at Norwich, on the means 
of Christian redemption, and the imperative necessity of man's 
cooperating therewith. In the afternoon meeting, I was again 
silent, but there was no lack of preaching. On second day, 
the 10th, we went to Wymondham. In this meeting, a busy 
spirit made its appearance, by one not belonging here, to 
which some caution was administered, and Friends were in- 
vited to that quietness and stillness in which God is to be 
known. Afternoon, we went to Attleborough, and Thomas 
and Marianne Bayes (at whose house we dined) went with 
us ; and here we had a renewing time with the very few 
Friends belonging thereto, who were feelingly called upon to 
diligence and earnestness in the important concern of their 
soul's salvation. After this, we went to Harling, and next 
day attended their meeting, in which a renewed call and in- 
vitation was extended to those present, and especially to the 
young men, of whom there was a considerable number. From 
hence we went to Tivetshall, and had an evening meeting 
there, in which the union between Christ and his church, and 
between the members of the body, was described. On fourth 
day, we travelled 34 miles to Yarmouth, and next day, had «. 
heavenly, baptizing meeting there. In the evening, we had a 
meeting at Pakefield, consisting mostly of the Episcopal order 
of people, and the reality and substance of religion was exalted 
above the form. On sixth day, the 14th of 12th mo., we went 
to Leiston, and had a meeting there, in which the trumpet of 
alarm was at length sounded, calling to righteousness, and to 
a labor in the garden of the Lord ; and next day, went to 
Woodbridge, where, on the first of the week, we were at their 



LETTER FROM T. AND M. BAYES. 155 

morning meeting, in which the universality of divine grace, 
and the power of it, were declared and supported. In the 
evening, we had a meeting at Ipswich, in which our public 
labors were extensive and arduous, being testimony to the 
great necessity of humility and meekness, and a call was also 
extended to the wandering prodigal. Here we lodged with 
Dykes Alexander. Next day, we went to Sudbury, and had 
an evening meeting with Friends, to good satisfaction ; and 
here we stayed awhile and wrote. 

At this time the following letter was received : — 

FROM T. AND M. BAYES TO J. W. 

Crownthorpe, 12th mo., 16th, 1832. 

ESTEEMED AND DEAR FRIEND, 

Thy kind invitation to me to address a few lines to thee before thou left 
England, I feel at this time some degree of liberty to accept, for when 
we are made sensible of how good and how pleasant it is for brethren 
to dwell together in unity, we are also at times encouraged and strength- 
ened by remembering that the precious ointment upon the head, that 
ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, went down to the skirts 
of the garments, even as the pure love of the gospel flows from the 
fathers to the children, from the greatest to the least, uniting in one 
bond of discipleship those who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, 
and desire, above all things, to be made partakers of that full and free 
salvation which is in him alone. But ah, my dear friend, how often 
does nature shrink from the many bitter cups and deep baptisms by and 
through which Ave must become prepared to be partakers of this salva- 
tion ; and if we truly desire to attain unto it — if we sincerely desire to 
endure unto the end, how needful do I feel it to be to wait in daily re- 
tirement and stillness before Him who only can renew our spiritual 
strength, who alone can enlighten our path and uphold our feet, that 
they stumble not in the way. Thy caution to me, concerning my 
beloved child, answered to the counsel of the witness in my own heart ; 
it is no light matter to know our affection for these precious charges to 
be brought into and kept under subjection to the love of Him who hath 
said, " Whoso loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of 
me ; " but my supplication is, that I may attain unto this, so that what- 
ever may seem good unto Divine wisdom, the language of my soul may 
be, in truth, " Not my will, but thine be done," believing that it is in 
this entire resignation of our own will, that we are kept in safety, and 
permitted to taste of peace. 

I believe I may acknowledge, dear friend, that thy late visit to us 
was to edification and to comfort ; — it is sweet and pleasant to our re- 



156 JOUENAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

membrance, (I speak for my dear husband as well as for myself.) and 
our united desire for thee is, that He who we believe has put thee forth, 
and who has also, we believe, gone before thee, may mercifully restore 
thee to the bosom of thy family in peace ; and though it may not be 
given unto thy eye to see of the travail of thy soul, yet mayest thou 
be permitted to rely in faith on the promise that the word that goeth 
forth out of his mouth shall not return unto Him void, but it shall 
accomplish that which He pleased, and prosper in the thing whereto he 
sent it. In the love of the gospel, we bid thee, dear friend, most affec- 
tionately, farewell, and remain thy friends, 

Thos. and Marianne Bayes. 

On fourth day, the 19th, we took public coach and went to 
London, lodging again at Peter Bedford's. On fifth day, 
went to Newington, and attended their mid-week meeting, in 
which the love of our heavenly Father was sweetly felt, in our 
silent sitting before Him, and was afterwards spoken of, and 
all were invited to come, taste, and see how good the Lord 
is ; and my dear friend William Allen, corroborated the same. 
After meeting, I spent a little time with my valued friends, 
John and Sarah Grubb, and made one or two other calls, and 
then went to Wm. Allen's, where I lodged, and next morn- 
ing, had religious opportunities at the girls' school at Newing- 
ton, and with the widow of Frederick Janson, in which I 
thought good help was afforded. The same evening, I went 
to Tottenham, and spent the night with my dear, aged friend, 
Thomas Shillitoe, where I met with Daniel Wheeler, for the 
first time, and next day, made several social visits, and re- 
turned again to London. Next morning, the first of the 
week, I was at Devonshire House, and the meeting was pretty 
open and good, in which dear Ann Jones followed me in tes- 
timony very acceptably. Afternoon, at Grace-Church Street, 
where we had a painful, heavy meeting, and although I had 
considerable labor therein, and some very close remarks, yet it 
did not afford so much peace and comfort as at other times ; 
and I felt confirmed, that there were some dark, hard minds 
present. 

On second day, came on the Select Quarterly Meeting for 
London and Middlesex, which was large ; but silence was 
my lot. My dear friend Ann Jones was enabled to make 
some interesting and pertinent remarks, very applicable to the 



ATTENDS THE QUARTERLY MEETING AT NORWICH. 157 

state of our Society, in this land, at the present day. On 
third day, was their public Quarterly Meeting — very full and 
large. Dear Ann Jones was exercised in solemn supplication, 
and Wm. Allen and Daniel Wheeler, in testimony, accepta- 
bly ; but, as for me, I sat silently, under a sorrowful sense of 
the state of things in this land ; for it is clearly to be felt and 
seen, that among this people under our name, there are two 
armies arrayed, army against army, lifting up their weapons 
one against the other ; and great struggles are plainly to be 
felt and seen, by those whose eyes are happily anointed by 
the finger of Jesus. It is seen, also, that instead of " one 
Lord, one faith, and one baptism," there is a diversity of faith, 
as it regards the ministration of Him who is one, by his holy, 
spiritual baptism, and as to the worship of the true tabernacle. 
And it is greatly to be feared that this strife will not always 
be kept within the secret chamber, and subdued, without 
the exposure of Antichrist and his kingdom, and without a 
storm of the elements in which he worketh. And much com- 
motion, and thunderings, and lightnings, and earthquakes will 
be seen and heard in divers places ; and the tabernacle of 
those who have slidden from the sure foundation, the Rock 
of Ages, however lofty and beautiful to look upon, will be 
thrown down, and removed out of the way, and their place 
will be known no more, in the heritage of the Lord's spiritual 
Israel. 

Having frequently, since our visit to Norwich, felt some 
drawings in my mind to return thither again, I have, of late, 
thought best to attend their ensuing Quarterly Meeting } in 
order for which, after the Quarterly Meeting in London, I 
took the mail stage at 8 o'clock the same evening, in com- 
pany with Daniel Wheeler and Ralph Neild, and travelled all 
night, 118 miles, and arrived at Norwich next morning about 
9 o'clock; and, the following evening, attended their Select 
Quarterly Meeting, in which I was led into considerable 
labor, on our doctrine concerning spiritual worship and the 
ministry, and had great peace therein. Next day, the 27th, I 
attended their Quarterly Meeting at large ; but there seemed 
to be no room allowed for me to unburden myself of that 
which I had borne many days. On the opening of this meet- 
ing, my dear friend Daniel Wheeler was well exercised in a 

14 



158 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

short testimony; after which, other offerings were made in 
such rapid succession, that I was obliged to sit silent through- 
out; but felt a strong engagement to appoint a meeting next 
morning, and to desire Friends to attend it, before their re- 
turn home ; and accordingly the appointment was made, and 
Friends generally attended. In this meeting, my concern and 
engagement led me to illustrate some of the fundamental 
doctrines of Christianity — the different manifestations and 
attributes of the Deity — the doctrine of sanctification and jus- 
tification, &c. The blessed Truth was near to help, and the 
victory was mercifully and signally obtained. After I sat 
down, E. F., a prominent minister arose, apparently with the 
intention of sustaining their preaching here ; and first acknowl- 
edging that God had been with us that dap, proceeded to refer 
to the apostle's expression, "there are divers gifts, but all 
by the same spirit;" and, in her weakness, disclosed an in- 
tention of spreading the idea over the meeting, that though 
there might seem a difference in the various appearances in 
that Quarterly Meeting, yet that they were virtually the same. 
I had been greatly burdened with a superficial, busy spirit, 
which seems to prevail here, both in meetings and in families. 
The busy working of this spirit, the dread of conflict, and the 
shunning of the cross of Christ, with a love for the friendship 
of the world and its greatness, have led to a loss, which I fear 
is irreparable ; and, moreover, some unsound doctrines appear 
to have crept in ; — such as the belief that we are elected and 
justified before we are purified and sanctified ; and a trusting 
in a mere imputed righteousness for salvation, without regard 
to obedience, and those works which are wrought in God, 
through the constraining and sanctifying influence of his 
spirit. 

I was grieved at the usage I met with here, which, I thought, 
was almost uncivil. A stranger from a foreign land had sacri- 
ficed all for a long time, and come over the sea to relieve his 
mind of a burden which rested upon it, and now had come all 
the way from London to attend this Quarterly Meeting, yet the 
time was nearly all taken up therein, by such as might well be 
there at any time ; and so I was led to appoint a meeting, for 
the express purpose of relieving my own mind, — then, that 
they should subjoin, with a design to give a levelling cast at 



DANIEL WHEELER— LETTER HOME. 159 

my dearly-bought testimony among them, did, to me, ap- 
pear dishonorable, if not unchristian and uncivil. Yet, to 
satisfy and mend everything with me personally, they were 
not entirely wanting in a fawning disposition, and a pro- 
fessed love and friendship for me. But, to do justice to some 
dear friends here, I feel bound to say that they received me 
and my testimony, in the fellowship and ownings of the gos- 
pel of Christ ; and these did bear up and strengthen my 
hands ; and my desire and prayer to God for them, is that 
he may be very near, and sustain them through all afflic- 
tions, amid those bonds which encompass them. And now, 
I left Norwich very peacefully, believing that I had discharged 
all that was required of me. Daniel Wheeler's company and 
united labors were very acceptable to me, during the short 
time we were together laboring in the fellowship of the gos- 
pel. He has been residing for about fifteen years at Peters- 
burg, in Russia, but now recently obtained certificates from 
his own Monthly Meeting in Yorkshire, England, to make an 
extensive visit, in religious service, to some of the South Sea 
Islands and New Holland, which will probably take several 
years to accomplish. I left him at Norwich. I also parted 
there with my dear friend and kind companion, Ralph Neild, 
from whence he returned home. His company and service 
had been truly acceptable to me, he being an honest, sincere 
man, of quick perceptions and discernment in regard to the 
state of meetings, as well as of individuals. 

On seventh day, the 29th, in company with Benjamin 
Holmes, went to Bury, forty-two miles, and, next day, met 
with Friends in the morning, and had a meeting in the even- 
ing with the town's-people ; in both which I was largely en- 
gaged in declaring the word of life, revealed in the gospel. 

From this place he wrote to his wife as follows : — 

Bury, in Suffolk, 12th mo., 29th, 1832. 

MY BELOVED WIFE, 

* * * * Not feeling clear of Norwich, we returned thither again 
from London on third day night. We left London the evening of 
their Quarterly Meeting, and reached Norwich the next morning ; where 
our kind friend Jane Gurney received us very affectionately. Their 
Select Meeting took place the following evening, and their Quarterly 



160 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

Meeting the next morning ; in the former I had good service, but in 
the latter there was not room in the midst of so many offerings ; and I 
felt grieved — a stranger here, and having now come so far to attend 
the Quarterly Meeting, and no opportunity afforded to throw off my 
burden. I had attended three meetings when here before, and could 
open my mind in but one. Hence, it seemed best to appoint a meeting, 
in the hope that they would allow time for a poor exercised stranger 
to relieve his mind. Accordingly, a meeting was appointed for the 
next day ; and most of the Friends who attended the Quarterly Meet- 
ing stayed and attended it ; and it was a very interesting time, wherein 
Truth was made to prevail, and many hearts to rejoice. * * * * I met 
with a Friend at Tottenham by the name of Daniel Wheeler, whose 
residence for about fifteen years has been at Petersburg, in Russia, but 
is still a member of a Monthly Meeting in Yorkshire. He has ob- 
tained certificates to visit many of the Islands in the Pacific Ocean, 
and Van Diemen's Land, in which voyage he will circumnavigate the 
globe. He had been very desirous of seeing me, and, on our meeting, 
he pretty soon let me know that he had some view of Norwich in con- 
junction with me, and finding that I was now bound thither, he readily 
agreed to bear me company ; and accordingly, went and joined in relig- 
ious service there. He is truly an interesting character, and stands 
upon the primitive foundation of Quakerism and genuine Christianity — 
a man of sound and clear mind, stored with the meekness of the gos- 
pel. He went to Russia by the request of the Emperor Alexander, to 
drain morasses and boggy land, in which business he has been ever 
since employed ; and now his eldest son has taken his place. His wife 
is also left there, and three other children. Friends have nearly con- 
cluded to purchase a small vessel exclusively for his voyage and ac- 
commodation, and to man her for the purpose. He will probably be 
gone five or six years. I left him at Norwich this morning, but expect 
to meet with him again in London, when I return there. It was 
spoken of in the Select Meeting at Norwich as being very interesting 
to have the company of two Friends from such different and remote 
places upon the earth. — In much tender love to thee, my dear wife, 
and to all our children, relations, and friends, and desiring that our 
good and gracious Helper would keep, instruct, and bless yon, 

I am thine, John Wilbur. 

Here, my friend John King, of Sudbury, met me, in order 
to bear me company for a time ; and, on second day, the 31st, 
we travelled to Godmanchester, near Huntingdon, forty-two 
miles, and had a meeting with Friends there the same even- 
ing, though open, yet plain in doctrine to some present. 



CONCLUDING VISIT TO LONDON. 161 

On the 1st of 1st mo., 1833, I went to St. Ives, and at- 
tended the Monthly Meeting there, long silent ; but a living 
call was at length extended, and an invitation to gather to 
God and to Christ, the life and the power. We went, that 
evening, to Earith, and lodged at John Brown's ; on the fol- 
lowing day, had a meeting with Friends there, and the same 
evening one at Chatteris, — the first, open, the last, close, 
searching, and alarming. The day following, we had a meet- 
ing with Friends at Sutton, mostly with young people, to 
whom caution and counsel went forth freely, warning them 
to avoid high-mindedness, and the love of the world. After 
this, we returned with John Brown to his own house and 
spent some time with Sarah Squire, a valuable minister, at 
her brother's, where we had a religious opportunity that even- 
ing, in which some exhortation went forth in love, to the 
young people present; and, next morning, in a solid, parting 
opportunity, S. S. was exercised in prayer for our preserva- 
tion, and I had a few words of encouragement to my elderly 
friends, to hold fast the profession of their faith in God, to 
the end ; and to their precious daughter, Mary Brown, was 
subjoined a call to some service, rather peculiar. 

I have now gone over this land of Great Britain and Ire- 
land, and attended nearly all the meetings as I went, through- 
out both countries ; and I begin to feel as if my service here 
was nearly accomplished, and think to go pretty directly to 
London, in order to inform the Morning Meeting there, of the 
accomplishment of my services in this land, (or, as I trust, 
nearly so,) and to obtain from them a returning certificate, 
directed to my friends in America, if, indeed, that meeting 
shall have approved of my labors here. Howbeit, I appre- 
hend I have some service yet unfinished, in London and Mid- 
dlesex. 

On sixth day, the 4th of 1st mo., we set out for London, 
and travelled as far as Ampthill, lodging again with my 
beloved friends Samuel and Ann May, who received us very 
affectionately. On first day, the 6th, attended their meeting 
in the morning, and had a meeting in the evening with the 
town's-people, — both open times. On second day, I went to 
Hitchin, and the same evening had a meeting there, when the 
states of some present were opened and spoken to. Next day 

14* 



162 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

went to Hertford, and the day following attended their week- 
day meeting, — long silent, but open at last. From hence we 
went to Tottenham, and lodged again at Robert Forster's. 
Here, on fifth day, we attended their Monthly Meeting, in 
which heavenly wisdom was distinguished from man's wis- 
dom, and set above it. On sixth day, the 11th of 1st mo., I 
w r ent to London, to my old home at Peter Bedford's, and 
rested and wrote, having travelled, since leaving Dublin, one 
thousand and thirty-seven miles. On first day, the 13th, I 
was at Peel Meeting, and in the evening at Westminster, — 
both open, though the latter long silent ; and for a time after 
I stood up, it seemed difficult to find an entrance into the 
minds of those to whom my service belonged ; but the point 
was, in good measure, gained at last. 

On second day, the 14th, I attended the Morning Meeting, 
composed of all the ministers and elders in the nation, but 
seldom attended by many from without the Quarterly Meet- 
ing of London and Middlesex. I now informed the meeting 
that I apprehended my services in this land were nearly 
accomplished, and was induced, by the peace and quietude 
of mind, which, through unmerited mercy, I now felt, to hope 
that my labors, however few and imperfect, were accepted for 
what was required of me ; and acknowledging the great kind- 
ness of friends, and their readiness to assist me in the per- 
formance of my engagements during the time of my being 
amongst them, now desired them to certify to my friends at 
home, if it were so, that my services had been accepted by 
my friends here, as I now had a prospect of returning shortly 
to America. Divers present expressing much unity with me 
and with my labors, a committee w^as appointed to prepare 
a certificate, and to present it at the adjournment, that day 
week. 

On third day, the 15th, I w^ent to Southwark Monthly 
Meeting, where I had much labor in the opening and liberty 
of the gospel. My former companion, Daniel P. Hack, hav- 
ing come up to London, from Brighton, his place of residence, 
and desiring that I would go with him thither to spend a little 
time, I having now a few days leisure did so ; and on fourth 
day, the 16th, we went to Crawley, and lodged at John Rob- 
inson's, wdiose son John was desiring to go with me to 



LABOES IN AND ABOUT LONDON. 163 

America ; which being agreed on, we went next day to 
Brighton ; and I was truly glad to meet with divers dear 
friends there. On sixth day was their Monthly Meeting, in 
which I had good open service. On seventh day, returned 
again to London, and on first day morning, the 20th, accom- 
panied by my friend Peter Bedford, I attended their Morning 
Meeting at Peckham, in which we were favored with the 
flowings of the gospel ; and, returning to London, attended 
a meeting at Grace- Church Street, appointed by our beloved 
friend Sarah Grubb, in which she had good service. On 
second day, I attended the adjournment of the Morning 
Meeting, at Devonshire House, where a returning certificate 
was brought in for me and approved, being satisfactory. 

On third day, I went to Newington, and spent a day or two 
with my dear friends John and Sarah Grubb, both ministers, 
and she an eminent instrument in the Lord's hand in the 
promulgation of the ancient doctrines of the gospel. With 
these friends I felt my spirit nearly united, and we had much 
interesting conversation in the freedom and liberty of the 
Truth. On fourth day evening, went to the house of William 
Allen, who was now about to go to the continent, to join Ste- 
phen Grellet, on a visit into Spain, — an adventure which I 
think has never been made before by Friends, and is thought 
to be a perilous undertaking. I felt my mind very nearly united 
with this my dear friend William Allen, and we had some in- 
teresting conversation on the state of the Society in England. 

On fifth day, the 24th, I went to Tottenham and attended 
their mid-week meeting, which I think was a solid time. 
Staying a day or two here, I made a number of social visits to 
divers friends for the last time, and taking leave of them in a 
solemn manner, went back to Newington on seventh day 
evening, and then went into the city ; and next morning, the 
27th, went to Grace- Church Street meeting, which was an 
open, favored, searching time. At six o'clock in the evening, 
had a meeting in Devonshire House, for Friends generally, in 
London, (except Southwark,) as a final parting opportunity ; 
and I trust it was a solemn time to many, in which I took 
leave of them in the love and fellowship of the gospel, com- 
mending them to God, and to the word of his grace. On 
second day, I had an interview and conference with several 



164 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

prominent characters of the Society, on our doctrine and testi- 
monies. On third day, the 29th, in company with Peter Bed- 
ford, I left London, and went on my way rejoicing, whilst my 
heart was filled with this language : " Farewell, farewell, to 
this great city ! peace be within thy walls and prosperity 
within thy palaces ! " I had, first and last, spent about two 
months in and about London, had labored diligently, and 
had endured many deep baptisms and close trials ; but now, 
in the end, found peace as a canopy to cover my mind, to the 
rejoicing of my heart; and I praised the Lord. We arrived 
in time, at the house of Richard and Mary Fell, at Uxbridge, 
where we lodged, and P. B. returning next morning to Lon- 
don, I went to their mid-week meeting, in which I had a good 
open time ; and in the evening came my young friend Gilbert 
Jilkes, from London, (nephew to P. B.,) in order to accompany 
me to Worcester, for which place we took coach next morn- 
ing, and arrived there, at Henry Newman's, about nine in the 
evening — one hundred miles. Here, next day, I had a meeting 
again with Friends, and was much enlarged in an impressive 
and close testimony, and left in great peace. I parted here 
with Gilbert Jilkes, and was met by Edward Southall, from 
Leominster, with whom I went to his own house. At Leom- 
inster I arrived on seventh day evening, and on the next day 
attended the meeting of Friends in the morning, and a public 
meeting in the evening, both good, open times. 

On fourth day morning, I took coach for Liverpool, with 
E. S. for my companion, and arrived there the same afternoon ; 
and on fifth day, attended their mid-week meeting, which was 
open and satisfactory; and next day we went to Warrington, 
our friend Frances Thompson going with us. On the day 
following, went by the way of Manchester to Stockport, to the 
house of our dear friends George and Ann Jones, where we 
met also with Elizabeth Robson and Abigail Dockray, and I 
think it was a mutually pleasant meeting to us all. Next day 
I returned to Manchester, to their morning meeting, in which, 
through heavenly goodness, my mouth was opened, in the 
demonstration of the gospel, which, I believe, was " the savor 
of life unto life " to some, and " the savor of death unto death " 
to others ; for in some here, I apprehend too much reason to 
fear a lapse and departure from our ancient doctrines and 



PARTING OPPORTUNITY AT LIVERPOOL. 165 

testimonies. This is one of the largest meetings of Friends 
in England. Their meeting-house, lately erected, is far from 
according, in my apprehension, with the simplicity of the 
gospel of Jesus Christ. We returned to Stockport, and had a 
meeting there in the evening, and lodged again with George 
and Ann Jones ; and next morning returned directly to Liver- 
pool, by the railway, in order to make preparations for my 
voyage to America, having engaged a passage on board the 
packet-ship Hibernia, George Maxwell, master, to sail on the 
16th. On arriving at Liverpool, I went now to my dear 
friends', George and Margaret Crosfield's, in order to spend a 
few days with them, which I did to much satisfaction, they 
being honest Friends, and truly desirous of upholding the 
ancient doctrines and usages of the Society. I had, during 
the last season, written divers letters to this my friend and 
former companion, on some subjects which rested with much 
weight upon my mind, and which he had published in the 
10th mo. last ; and now, as I was about leaving the nation, 
and not knowing but a new edition might be called for, it was 
thought best to reexamine them, and to make such revision 
as might appear useful, which with the advice of several 
friends we accomplished. 

On fifth day, the 14th, I attended again their mid-week 
meeting, to which a general invitation of Friends and friendly 
people was previously given, and it proved, as a parting 
opportunity, a truly solid time. In my testimony, way opened 
for a reference to my services and exercises generally in this 
land, and to the sincerity in which I had labored in the 
Society here, though it had been, as the Apostle expressed 
himself, in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling ; but 
now, in the conclusion, my mind was mercifully filled and 
comforted with the reward of sweet peace. 

The spirit of supplication was also vouchsafed at this 
solemn time, and my mouth was opened in fervent prayer, 
that the little service in which I had been engaged in this 
land, might be as a nail in a sure place ; and a fervent peti- 
tion was also lifted up to the unslumbering Shepherd of Israel, 
that he would deign to keep and preserve the afflicted and 
lowly walkers in Zion, and guide them in the way everlasting. 
Sixth and seventh days were spent in visiting divers dear 



166 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

friends, in preparing for my voyage, and in writing to sev- 
eral friends in different parts of the kingdom, bidding them 
a hearty farewell ; and on seventh day evening, a large num- 
ber assembled at my lodgings at T. Thompson's, where we had 
a comfortable opportunity, both social and religious ; wherein 
both heart and hand were lifted up for my preservation over 
the mighty deep, and safe restoration to my dear family. 

The next morning, which was first day, the 17th of 2d mo., 
I was called upon to go on board the ship at 9 o'clock, and so, 
accompanied by E. Robson, G. Crosfield, Thos. Thompson, 
Ralph Neild and a number of others, I went down and em- 
barked ; and the ship soon got under way, with a fair wind 
from the S. E., and went round Holyhead that night, about 
8 o'clock. The wind then shifting favorably to the N. W. and 
blowing fresh, we went rapidly down St. George's Channel on 
second day ; and on third day morning, found ourselves fairly 
out to sea. Wind again S. E. but very light ; nevertheless, it 
increased all day, till night, when it blew with great violence, 
and so continued all night. The sea ran into mighty heaps, 
and the waves roared tremendously, and seemed to threaten 
destruction to our ship, our sole dependence in this world ; 
which, in comparison of the mighty waters — now into tem- 
pest, now into mountains wrought — seemed like a very little 
thing — or as a mere nut-shell on a spacious stream. Now, 
by the power of fierce winds, ascending to the summit of a 
mighty wave ; then downward plunging with rapid speed, as 
if towards the nether bounds of ocean's great abyss ! But 
still, in admiration seen, her buoyancy was such, that, as 
though by the uplifting of Almighty power, she would rise 
again, and mount the next succeeding swell — or partially, 
when the summit rolled to® high, and over us poured its 
briny floods, almost hiding us in its surge ! 

Within the compass of ten days, this severe storm was 
succeeded by three others, of equal violence ; indeed the last 
was thought rather to exceed the rest. Capt. Maxwell told me 
that he had not known such a time for a number of years. 
But through mercy, these mighty gales were not of long du- 
ration, none exceeding twenty-four hours. 

During these severe gales, the ship's sails were all taken in, 
and she was put in the posture of lying to, and so driving 



PERILS OF THE PASSAGE HOME. 167 

with the wind ; and she rolled about so exceedingly that all 
loose articles were thrown into confusion and disorder. One 
of the steerage passengers, by the heave of the ship, was 
thrown down upon the edge of a box, whereby his arm was 
fractured very badly, and the scarf or splinter of the bone, 
puncturing a small artery, it was thought by the surgeon, for 
some days that he was in much danger of losing his arm, if 
not his life ; but he is now, on the 14th of 3d mo. in a fair 
way to do well. 

After these storms had subsided, (during which we had 
apparently gained but a short distance from Cape Clear in 
Ireland,) we had pretty fair wind and weather for some time, 
and advanced very well, until second day morning, the 11th 
of 3d mo., when at 4 o'clock, the ship was perceived to 
come in contact with some solid bodies, which proved to be 
floating and scattered pieces of ice, but not large in their 
dimensions. No alteration was made, except to shorten sail, 
so as to meet them with less violence (being on direct course), 
and so we continued, until 9 o'clock the same evening, when 
we found ourselves entirely enclosed in a vast field of this 
material, and so closely crowded together as entirely to ob- 
struct our progress. 

This was in latitude 45° north, and 48° west from London, 
and not far short of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. 

Here we could see nothing but ice in any direction, except 
the way from whence we came. But on the same afternoon, 
the seamen made shift to get the ship about, and reverse our 
course, and so before night, we got into open sea again. It 
was very unexpected by the Captain and crew, thus to find 
floating ice in this region so early in the spring ; and the 
object now was to try to get so far south as to pass it on that 
side, and then go on our way to the westward. But the 
wind blowing from S. S. W. made it very slow and tedious 
gaining ground in that direction. However they beat to and 
fro as well as they could, continuing their starboard tack until 
they began to come in contact with the ice every time, and 
then shifting sails, &c, until third day evening, when the 
scattering ice appeared smaller and softer ; and now the 
Captain thought he could make his way through it, the wind 
being nearly south, and pretty favorable for our course. He 



168 JOURNAL OF JOHX WILBUR. 

made the attempt, but in the course of the evening, found 
himself entirely brought to a stand again ; for the ice, though 
softer, was so thick, and crowded so closely together, that the 
ship, with all her canvas spread, could no longer advance ; 
so here we lay, quite still until fifth day morning, the 14th, 
when they made out, by breaking away the ice, to get the ship 
about, and to make some progress eastward, though hardly 
perceptible. Whilst we were lying here, we discovered two 
large icebergs, one of them about a mile to the south of us, 
and rising about forty feet above the water, and thought to 
be about one mile in circumference. The other was to the 
west, and being more distant, could not be so well described, 
but some part of it was evidently much higher than the 
first. Before we left this region we saw seven of these 
icebergs in different directions from us, and of different dimen- 
sions. 

At evening the wind shifted to the N. W. and blew 
fresh, whereby we were enabled to get clear of the ice at 
about ten this evening, and so run off southerly until morn- 
ing, and then took our course again, and saw no more of the 
ice. From which time until now, the 20th, the wind has 
been often unfavorable and light, so that our progress has 
been rather slow ; and by observation to-day, find our lati- 
tude to be 41° 50', and long. 63° 22'. The 22d, the wind 
ahead, making little or no progress. The 23d the wind N. 
W. advancing some, but slowly, until the 26th in the morn- 
ing, when we made land on the south side of Long Island ; 
and about noon, the pilot boat came down, and we took a 
pilot on board, who beat us up near to the Narrows, where 
we let go anchor ; and next morning, the 27th, a steamboat 
came down from the city, and towed the ship up against the 
wind, and we landed about 11 o'clock. It was cause of deep 
thankfulness that I was permitted to set my feet once more 
upon this my native land. 

I stayed two days at New York, and called on divers friends, 
who rejoiced with me in the mercies of a kind Providence, in 
thus sparing my life through many perils, both by sea and by 
land. On the 29th I embarked on board a steam vessel, and 
landed next morning at New London, the 30th of 3d mo., 
1833, and about noon the same day, arrived safely at my own 



ARRIVAL HOME.— LETTER FROM ANN CONING. 169 

home at Hopkinton, and a time of mutual rejoicing I had, 
with my dear wife and children, and I trust that our hearts 
were filled with gratitude and thankfulness to the Lord, for 
his favors and tender mercies, in thus restoring us to each 
other ; and I desire that we may never forget to praise his 
good and blessed name. 

It appears, by my list of distances, that I travelled, after 
landing in Liverpool until I sailed from thence again, seven 
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven miles ; and the two 
passages across the Atlantic, allowing for the zizzag courses, 
would amount to, at least, seven thousand miles, so that the 
whole travel, by sea and by land, would make over fourteen 
thousand eight hundred miles. From a regular diary kept, 
it appears that I attended 348 of the regular, established 
meetings in Great Britain and Ireland, and that, by including 
an additional attendance of many of the same, and appointed 
public meetings, it will amount to 114 more. To this list 
might be added 90 meetings more, consisting of the sittings 
of the yearly meeting, and all the quarterly and monthly 
meetings and their select meetings, the meeting for sufferings 
and the morning meeting in London, which I attended, and 
the whole number will be 552. 

I was gone from home one year, eight months and ten days, 
but remained in the United Kingdom only one year and about 
six months, or 545 days, so that, on an average, I attended a 
meeting for every day. 

[The following letters from several dear friends in Eng- 
land were written on the eve of J. W.'s departure from that 
country, at the termination of his arduous service there ; and 
having especial reference thereto, are published as a fitting 
conclusion to this chapter.] 

FROM ANN CONING. 

Gisborough, 5th of 1st mo., 1833. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

I expected to see thee again before thou took thy departure from 
us — indeed I had some expectation of meeting thee at our Quar- 
terly Meeting, but dear Hannah Murray told me thou had'st been there 
a few weeks previous, and that thou wast likely to leave this land 
before long. She also let me see thy letters to George Crosfield, 
which I read whilst under her roof, and purchased several copies be- 
15 



170 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

fore I left York. They were cordial to hit mind, and I believe gen- 
erally liked in Yorkshire. They are very appropriate for the present 
day — something of this kind seemed wanting. There are few who 
will be honest to their feelings, or who dare to espouse a cause how- 
ever good, in opposition to the popular views of the great and 
learned ones amongst us. I think, my dear friend, this is a service 
worth what it has cost thee, if thou hadst had no other in this land 
than thus to point out the safe path between two extremes, to show us 
the good old way in which our worthy predecessors walked. How pre- 
cious is the remembrance of those valiant ones, who turned not their 
backs in the day of battle, but fought manfully under the banner of the 
Lamb, " in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom 
they shone as lights in the world." 

The time seems now arrived when the current of popular innovation 
should be checked, or it might have carried away all before it, and 
probably thou wast the instrument to cross the great deep to do it, or at 
least open the way for it. I hope thou wilt have solid peace and satis- 
faction in giving up to what thou believed ealled for at thy hands. 
And now my dear friend, I may tell thee, that, after returning home 
from the Yearly Meeting, and weighing in my mind what had occurred 
there, I felt best satisfied to address a letter to two Friends, with 
such variations as circumstances called for. A copy of that to Anna 
Braithwaite, with her reply, I took with me to York for thy perusal, 
had thou been there, and, as opportunity now offers for private con- 
veyance, I mean to enclose my letter to her in this. Perhaps A. B. 
would not like me to send a copy of hers, which was not particularly 
relieving to my mind. I think mine would be better not exposed, but 
should'st thou be at our mutually beloved friends' at Croyden, I have 
no objection to their seeing it, nor yet our interested friend Geo. Cros- 
field, of Liverpool, to whom present my dear love. A. B. told us at 
the Yearly Meeting, that we were to " keep an even balance," but the 
scale has long appeared to me to preponderate on the wrong side. I 
can recollect the time, when the mercy of God in Christ Jesus, in the 
glorious plan of our redemption, was too little adverted to, but now the 
historical or outward belief of this, appears to be held up and brought 
to view by some, as if our salvation wholly depended on this belief, so 
frail are we, and liable to run into extremes, but we are hardly aware 
of the serious consequences of giving the weight so much on one side, 
as greatly to weaken the other. There seems to me something plausi- 
ble in it ; much that favors our natural propensities, as we know it is 
much easier to believe in what Christ did and suffered for us in that 
prepared body, than spiritually to "know him, and the power of his 
resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conform- 



LETTER FROM ANN CONING. 171 

able unto his death." I think such views may exalt, not humble, the 
creature, and also beget apathy and indifference in spiritual warfare. 
The grand deceiver, who is never wanting in his insinuations, can', it is 
said, transform himself into an angel of light, and if, by any means, 
he can settle us at ease in our sins, his malignant purposes are fully 
answered. 

If Christ, when personally upon earth, who knew the end from the 
beginning, who spoke and taught as never man did, had, in his memo- 
rable sermon on the mount, or in any of his divine exhortations to the 
people, insisted that their mere belief or acknowledgment of what he 
was about to accomplish for them, " through the eternal Spirit (in offer- 
ing) himself without spot to God " was more essential to their salva- 
tion than the operation of his spirit and power within them, by which 
they were washed, sanctified and justified in his name, then we might 
have kept " an even balance." But the stress of Christ's doctrine runs 
thus, " Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." " Except your 
righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees," 
&c. " Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again." " Enter 
ye in at the straight gate," &c. 

But I need not dwell longer on these things, as I believe thou and I 
are of one heart and one mind. We live in eventful days, and those of 
great excitement ; and never was there more occasion for the watchmen 
and watch-women to " walk about Zion, go round about her, to tell the 
towers thereof, mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces." 
Truly it is well for those who know an establishment and safe abiding 
on the immutable foundation, Christ Jesus, the eternal Rock of Ages, 
for no other foundation can any man lay, with safety, than that which 
is already laid ; but how greatly have we slidden from it into by-ways, 
and crooked paths, in a dark and cloudy day of temptation. How is 
the gold become dim ! how is the most fine gold changed ! Many of 
us have gone back again into Egypt, and some remain in the wilder- 
ness in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is. It was never the 
design of the Almighty that we should be a people thus robbed and 
spoiled of our ancient beauty, and I see no other way in which the 
church can " come up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved " 
but by chastisements. It often appears to me as if we should, in this 
way, be visited ; the foundation of many amongst ourselves may be 
tried, the chaff separated from the wheat, which is the weighty, sub- 
stantial part. " The Lord knoweth them that are his," and those he 
will hide in his pavilion in the time of trouble, for I believe there will 
always remain a seed to serve him, which, after passing through the 
fiery ordeal may survive these days of tribulation, to whom the follow- 
ing portion of Scripture may be appropriate, " In that day shall the 



172 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

Lord of Hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, 
unto the residue of his people," — and again, " My people shall dwell 
in a peaceable habitation, and sure dwellings, and in quiet resting- 
places." I am reminded, whilst writing on these subjects, to look well 
to my own standing. ******** 

I think I will engage, if life and faculties be spared, to deliver thy 
messages, and also to write to thee in return, and may the blessing of 
preservation be thine across the mighty deep. Thou hast seen the 
Lord's wonders there, as well as on land, and I have no doubt spiritu- 
ally experienced " the floods (to) have lifted up their voice ; the floods 
lift up their waves," but there is a voice speaketh louder than theirs, 
whose command both winds and waves obey. 

Many are the tribulations of the righteous, but He whose promises 
are yea and amen forever, will deliver them out of them all. A 
little more faith, my beloved friend, and a little more patience, and 
then cometh the end, and a blessed one it will be to those " that do His 
commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may 
enter in through the gates into the city." 

With affectionate remembrance, thy sincere friend, 

Ann Coning. 

from margaret crosfield to j. "vv. 

Mount Vernon, 1st mo.. 8th, 1833. 



MY PEAR FRIEXD, 



Thou art very often the companion of my thoughts which follow thee 
in thy pilgrimage through this land, closely sympathizing with thee in 
thy various trials, of which I have a strong feeling ; as much, I think, 
almost, as if I was outwardly a partaker of them with thee, often desir- 
ing thy support under them, and many times comforted with the belief, 
that thy strength is as thy day's work requires. We had an acceptable 
letter from Ralph Neild since his return, with many interesting partic- 
ulars of your travels, — in it I was glad to hear thou wast tolerably well, 
and drawing near the end of thy work. Thy journey into England has 
happened at a hard time for thee, but Providence saw thou wast able, 
and has qualified thee for the work, and I doubt not that many in this 
land will profit by thy labors, and have already done so. It has been 
the means of opening our eyes to things we did not know existed, and 
put us on our guard, for which I many times feel truly thankful. I 
often am thinking of Jonathan Taylor, — how he was removed from the 
conflict he would have had to go through, if he had been preserved in 
integrity as to Friends' ancient principles. We have no recent account 
of Chas. Osborn. I think he was much harrassed while here, with 
opposing sentiments. 



LETTERS FROM MARGARET CROSFIELD AND ANN MAY. 173 

****** Elizabeth Robson has now a minute from our 
Monthly Meeting to visit Friends in Manchester, in which arduous ser- 
vice she is now engaged. I wish her labors may be blessed to profit 
those whom she is among, for there is great need of faithful, upright 
Friends to witness for Truth among them. The meeting is in an 
affecting state as to the soundness of its heads, who too much think 
themselves whole, and sound and wise ; and, I fear, have little knowl- 
edge of the real work of Truth in the inner man, or they would 
scorn the mean, specious ways of bringing others over to their views, 
which has fallen more than once under our observation to be done 
by some ; and, in practice, the old Jesuitical doctrine brought out, 
of the end sanctifying the means, and all to be covered up with the 
mantle of faith. I believe some will be landed, at last, in conduct and 
opinions they little thought they could ever arrive at, when first warped 
from the integrity of Truth. Riches, and the love of the world, are 
some of the roots of these evils ; then comes craving for more liberty, 
and religion must be fitted to allow of it, that we may have a name 
among men. On these things, I have often many sorrowful meditations, 
but am comforted with a secret feeling, that Providence will interpose, 
and has already for the deliverance of the faithful among us, from the 
mixture that the workings of corrupt, unsubdued wills have introduced 
into our Society. It will now, I think, be seen, who are sound, and 
who are not ; which is a great point gained, to have the mists cleared up 
which have enveloped some amongst us ; and I desire nothing more 
than that such may go forth from us who are not of us, which is far 
better ; and I for one am quite willing to go through it, rather than 
leave the burden of such a mixture on the next generation. I fear this 
will be a long time in reaching thee, but I hope thou wilt excuse it and 
all its errors, being a proof of my near love and unity with thee and 
thy labors in this land. 

***** ^y t ru ]y affectionate sister, 

Margaret Crosfield. 



FROM ANN MAY. 

Ampthill, 1st mo., 25th, 1833. 

MY DEAR FRIEND JOHN WILBUR, 

Permit me to express my warmest wishes for thy preservation on 
every hand, and safe return to thy native shores, seeing we must part 
with thee, and mayst thou feel a peaceful relief from those heavy ex- 
ercises through which it has been thy lot to wade, in the course of thy 
valuable labors in this land. As thy religious services here are draw- 
ing so near a conclusion, thoughts of home will naturally be indulged, 
15* 



174 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

which brings me to the recital of that little anecdote thou wished me 
to pen, although imperfectly related, from wanting the names ; — it was 
thus : " Some years ago, a valuable, ministering Friend, residing in a 
very obscure, humble cottage, I think in Westmoreland, had a concern 
to attend the Yearly Meeting. During his stay in and about town, he 
was so much introduced to the tables of the affluent, as well as to their 
general habits, that some, wondering how he would bear so great a re- 
verse as returning to his own poor home, asked his companion to take 
notice, — his report was most satisfactory. On espying it at a distance, 
his countenance beamed with delight, while he exclaimed, ' Aye, thou 
bonny Grey rig ! I hanna seen sic' a turtle's nest sin' I left thee.' " 
Possessing the true riches, this simple-hearted Christian had been 
taught how to rightly estimate earthly grandeur and possessions, his 
treasure being where " moth and rust do not corrupt ; " quitting the 
bustling scenes of town would, no doubt, be making a joyful retreat, as 
from the mid-day sun into the shade, so much more favorable to con- 
templation, and waiting for the descendings of heavenly good ; sitting 
as under his own " vine and fig-tree ; " — feelings like these are what 
I fondly anticipate for my dear friend on reaching his long-deserted 
home, even although the vacant seat of one can hardly fail to cast a 
momentary gloom over the scene ; but may it quickly be dispelled by 
renewed ability to bless the Hand that gave, and whose sovereign right 
it is to take away. But this state of resignation being unattainable by 
our own strength, I believe the most favored minds have long to wait 
for it, so powerful are the ties that bind us to these dear objects of our 
affection and solicitude. * * * We shall probably often talk, and 
much oftener think of thee, when tossing on the billowy deep, with fer- 
vent desires that thy return from this arduous field of labor may be 
richly crowned with peace, even the hundred fold. * * Thy sincere 
friend, Ann Mat. 

FROM ROBERT WHITAKER. 

Ackworth School, 8th of 2d mo., 1833. 

MY DEAR FRIEND JOHN WILBUR, 

We rejoiced to learn that thy labors of love in our country, which, I 
believe, have been generally acceptable, are drawing to a satisfactory 
conclusion. As regards thyself, I have no doubt the answer will be 
peace, — the reward of faithful service. And though thou wilt mourn 
over us when thou art again permitted to reach thy native shores, and 
to enjoy the society of thy kindred and friends, if thy doing so be in the 
ordering of thy great Master's councils, — I say thou wilt mourn over 
us, as a Society, because we are a degenerate, still-declining, motley 
people ; yet, I believe, thou wilt have satisfaction in having faithfully 



LETTER FROM ROBERT WHITAKER. 175 

warned us of our dangerous state, and tried to stir us up to more dili- 
gence, in pursuing the things which belong to our everlasting peace. 
We certainly have had line upon line and precept upon precept, many 
solemn messages from the Lord's servants, and divers manifestations of 
his displeasure with our ways, in the judgments with which our nation, 
as well as many others, has lately been visited. I frequently remember 
the words of our friend Daniel Wheeler, uttered at York during the 
time of our Quarterly Meeting, in the 9th month of last year, when the 
cholera, which had so generally prevailed in this island, was apparently 
rather subsiding, viz : that what this country had then suffered was 
only like the shaking of the rod. At the present time, the pestilence 
appears to be stayed. If the saying of the prophet might happily be 
verified among us, " When the judgments of the Almighty are in the 
earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness," probably 
our highly-favored country might still be spared and protected from 
further calamity. ****** 

I do not feel quite satisfied, without saying, that I have read thy 
letters to George Crosfield with much satisfaction. My sincere desire 
is that they may be much read, and sufficiently pondered by persons of 
different ranks and ages in our Society, many of whom, I am quite 
sure, stand in need of such a salutary caveat in these times. We shall 
very often think of thee, and shall rejoice to hear of thy safe arrival in 
Rhode Island. Repeating the message of dear love from thy different 
friends here, my wife and daughter especially joining, I am truly thy 
affectionate friend, Robt. Whitaker. 



CHAPTER IV. 

JOURNEYS AND CORRESPONDENCE, FROM 1833 TO 1841. 

In the spring of 1834, I felt a concern to attend Philadel- 
phia Yearly Meeting, and having obtained a minute of the 
approbation of our Monthly Meeting, I proceeded, and at- 
tended the same accordingly, to good satisfaction. 

[The following letters from Moses Brown clearly indicate 
his views of the defection in principle then beginning to be 
apparent, and now so fully developed in the Society both in 
England and America. This is deemed a sufficient apology 
for their publication, together with the subjoined brief sketch 
of his character.] 

FROM MOSES BROWN TO JOHN WILBUR. 

Providence, 23d of 8th mo. 1833. 

DEAR FRIEND, JOHN WILBUR, 

A few days after thou returned home, I took our friend Stephen 
Gould over to William Almy's, who had a letter from Thomas Shillitoe 
to Stephen which William charged Stephen to be careful about show- 
ing ; the latter on taking it handed it to. me. I found it to contain as 
full a statement of matters in England, and in some respects more so 
than thou had mentioned ; its date is since their last Yearly Meeting, 
at which their revisal of the discipline was completed. He says, in 
effect, that a party there charge Barclay with contradicting himself — 
that he has done great injustice to the Scriptures, by placing them as 
the secondary instead of the primary means of salvation. Perhaps 
this may be a mistaken understanding of the case, as it seems too bad 
to hold, by any professing with us. He says the enemy has laid his 
snare there in a different way from Hicksism. By some the Son is 
set up above the Father ; and mere faith in the atonement and blood of 
Christ is held to be sufficient for salvation (very little inward work). 
These doctrines are securing for them the right hand of fellowship from 
other professors, as it is to be feared is the case with some in America ; 



LETTERS FROM MOSES BROWN. 177 

and those who adhere to the ancient faith and doctrine are stigmatized 
with the appellation of Hicksites. Thomas considers it a great favor 
to them and us, that Divine Goodness had commissioned and sent over 
some good, sound, faithful valiants from this side the water, who 
have helped to hold up their hanging-down hands, against the inroads 
of the wicked one ; thus opening a more full and desirable channel for 
the communication of their sentiments on this painful subject than any 
epistolary correspondence by them, these having seen and heard and 
felt for themselves the deceivableness of the spirit that is at work 
among Friends there. It is mentioned by some to account for Thomas 
thus writing, that the Hicksites claimed him on his arrival at New York 
in 1828. This, by J. J. Gurney, who, it is to be feared, is too much of 
the new school. Immediately on our sitting down in Wm. Almy's house, 
he inquired after thee, and complained that thou had promised to call 
on him when thou was at Providence. I immediately cleared thee by 
frankly telling him he must lay thy not seeing him at his house to me, 
for thou had proposed to me to go with thee ; but I gave him my opin- 
ion that it would be best for you not to meet at present ; and I told 
William I thought it would be better for him in particular to have a 
respite, as it had taken too deep hold of his mind. I had no other ob- 
jection to accompanying thee to see him save an impression that it would 
be best for him and for thee that it be left for another time ; as the 
matter of difference * had been gone into pretty fully at the Meeting 
for Sufferings, and was thought by Daniel Howland to be well left. I 
thought best to mention this to thee, hoping he will cool off about it 
before we meet. If thou hast S. F. Hussey's answer to Rand, please 
look over the conclusion which was written by W. A. I think thou 
will find that to contain some doctrine, that he hardly holds up of late. 
I intend setting him to look it over for the refreshing of his memory. 
I consider it one of the best of his declarations and that it will bear 
inspection. 

With love to thyself, wife and family, I conclude. 

Thy friend, Moses Brown. 

Providence, 4th of 7th mo., 1836. 

DEAR FRIEND, 

I duly received thine and note its contents. Yesterday our friend 

S. Rhoads read to me part of a letter from his son, saying that 

of in England, writes that Elisha Bates was then giving trouble 

to the select Yearly Meeting. He says that H. Backhouse was en- 
gaged in visiting families in Kendal, the hotbed of Beaconism, that 
Isaac Braithwaite and sons had proposed to the Quarterly Meeting's 

* John Wilbur's Letters to George Crosfield. 



178 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

committee to send up a request that the Yearly Meeting will decide 
whether the Scriptures or the Spirit is the primary rule of faith and 
practice, that it was objected to and held the parties till between 
eleven and twelve o'clock at night before a minute was agreed on to 
be signed by the clerk. This is in confirmation of a letter received by 
Stephen Gould. I apprehend the London Yearly Meeting if they 
consider the question will not be at a loss to unite with Barclay, against 
J. Wilkinson, E. Bates, and the Beacon party, unless that party be 
larger than I have an idea of. We shall expect soon to hear the issue. 
Joseph John Gurney has written severely in opposition to the anony- 
mous writer against the Beacon, and there is an advertisement of the 
printer that printed the last answer to J. Wilkinson, that there was in 
the press an answer by the same anonymous writer, against Joseph 
John's remarks on him. I think Joseph John may be whipped by 
him, and I should not be sorry to see it. William Jenkins and a few 
others who were opposed to doing anything against the Beacon, as 
followers of Elisha Bates, I think are now beat, and have nothing to 
say in favor of Elisha or the Beacon Friends ; and I am in hopes we 
shall be clear of that trouble here. 

I remain with love to thyself and family ; thy friend, 

Moses Brown. 

[The foregoing letters are selected from a considerable 
number from Moses Brown, written in a familiar and affec- 
tionate style, but mostly relating to local Society affairs, until 
the development of the unsound views promulgated by Elisha 
Bates and the Beaconites ; when he spoke out plainly in con- 
demnation of this heresy, and evinced much concern for the 
preservation of the Society on its original ground of principle 
and practice. It is evident from these letters, that he regarded 
J. J. Gurney as being strongly imbued with Beaconite senti- 
ments, and in private conversation with John Wilbur, they 
always agreed in their views on this subject. Notwithstand- 
ing the opposition evinced by his son-in-law, Wm. Almy, to 
the latter, on account of the letters written by him to Geo. 
Crosfield, while in England, (see appendix,) Moses Brown 
continued friendly, and expressed his satisfaction with those 
letters, and with the avowed design of the author in writing 
them. 

He met with much opposition from W. A., W. J., and 
others on account of the stand he made against the introduc- 
tion of innovating doctrines into the Society. On the occa- 



BRIEF SKETCH OF MOSES BROWN. 179 

sion of a social visit of the latter, accompanied by S. A. Chace, 
they introduced the subject of the paramount authority of 
the Holy Spirit, and the subordination thereto of the Scrip- 
tures, as always held by Friends, and committed themselves 
against this view, and in favor of the paramount authority 
of the Scriptures ; maintaining that all religious impressions 
and whatsoever is vital in religion, is borrowed from the 
Bible. 

Moses Brown firmly withstood them herein ; maintaining 
the views of R. Barclay on this question, and of the Society 
since his day; and when they quoted the passage "All Scrip- 
ture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doc- 
trine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteous- 
ness," &c, he took it up and turned it against them ; showing 
that it sustained his view, saying, in substance that as the 
Scriptures emanated from the divine fountain of all good, 
so in the language of Barclay, as the stream cannot rise 
higher than the fountain, the Scriptures cannot justly be 
elevated above their divine Author. That they are profitable 
for doctrine, reproof, instruction, &c, he as fully believed as 
they did ; and the Society always set them above all other 
writings, and acknowledged that they were the only fit out- 
ward judge of controversy among Christians. He alluded to 
his own experience in this regard, particularly in the matter 
of his slaves ; saying that after the decease of his first wife, 
who made a remarkably satisfactory and peaceful close, when 
returning from the grave, ruminating upon the Lord's mercies 
and favors to him, the query arose in his mind, what shall I 
render unto thee for thy loving kindness and abundant mercy? 
when his slaves were all passed in review before him ; adding 
" I saw them with my spiritual eye as plainly as I see you 
now, and it was given me as clearly to understand that the 
sacrifice that was called for at my hands was to give them 
their liberty ; " and he concluded by saying " these impres- 
sions were not from the Bible." But as W. Jenkins continued 
to press his views, he turned to him and said " William thou 
art not right, and thou never will be while thou continues to 
hold such sentiments as these." 

Moses Brown was remarkable for his uprightness and con- 
sistency during a long life of nearly 98 years. He was in- 



180 JOURNAL OF JOHX WILBUR. 

trusted with a large share of this world's goods, which he was 
concerned to hold in due subordination to religious obliga- 
tions; hence his philanthropy w^as proverbial, though not 
ostentatious ; observing in an uncommon degree this injunc- 
tion of our Lord : " When thou doest thine alms let not thy 
left hand know what thy right hand doeth." His house was 
always open for the entertainment of Friends ; and his hospi- 
tality in this respect was experienced by many. Being a man 
of good natural parts, and of large and varied information, he 
was interesting and agreeable in conversation beyond most, 
on which account his company and advice were much sought 
by men of all classes, not only within his own community, 
but beyond its limits ; and his simplicity of manner, unassum- 
ing deportment, unbending integrity and consistent adherence 
to his religious principles, won for him the respect and vener- 
ation of all who sought his acquaintance. For many years 
he occupied the station of an elder in the Society of Friends ; 
and during the latter part of his life he occasionally spoke in 
our religious meetings to the comfort and satisfaction of the 
right minded.] 

In the winter of 1836-7, I visited Friends (with a certifi- 
cate) in several of the eastern counties of the State of New 
York, my wife bearing me company as far as our son-in- 
law's, Wm. R. Hazard's, in Dutchess County. 

[No account of this visit has been found among J. W.'s 
papers, but the following incident connected with it, is given 
from recollection by his children, (in whose presence he sev- 
eral times related it,) as nearly in his own words as could 
be recollected.] 

Ethan Foster accompanied us on this visit as far as Hart- 
ford; where I had a prospect of holding a public meeting, 
should way open for it. We went to see the celebrated Joel 
Hawes, (popularly known as Dr. Hawes,) for the purpose of 
getting his consent for a meeting in his lecture room ; having 
been informed that it would be a convenient place, and that 
his permission to hold the meeting there would go far towards 
giving us credence with the people, and induce many to at- 
tend who otherwise might not. On meeting him, he received 
us civilly; but when informed of the object of our visit, he 



MEETING AT HARTFORD.— DE. HAWES, ETC. 181 

did not favor it — said he was careful as to whom he admit- 
ted there to preach — thought that Quakerism and Puritanism 
would not be likely to work well together — that he regarded 
the Quakers as a superficial people : to which I replied that 
that might arise from a want of acquaintance with them and 
their principles ; but he still hesitated about it, and said that 
New England was the theatre of Puritanism, Connecticut its 
stronghold, and Hartford its centre, and that Quakerism Was 
its antagonist. He then asked me what I was going to 
preach about. I told him I did not know ; nor did I know 
certainly that I should preach at all: to which he replied, 
"don't know what you are going to preach about! then I 
think you will make poor work of it ; I have tried a few times 
in that way, and I did ; and I think you will ; but if you do 
not preach at all, I shall." After some further conversation, 
he said, " if I allow you to hold the meeting, you must prom- 
ise not to preach against my favorite doctrine, ' once in grace, 
always in grace : ' " to which I replied, that I could not accept 
it on those terms ; pausing a little, he said, " Well, I think 
I shall risk you; but if you attack my favorite doctrine, 
I shall oppose you." At the meeting, he took his seat by 
my side, and pretty soon said, " I think you had better com- 
mence your service, as I presume the people are generally 
in." There being no response to this, he soon after made a 
similar remark, and then sat quietly, until I arose, and. while 
I was speaking. Soon after I sat down, he arose and recom- 
mended strongly to their attention what had been said, and 
repeated the words of Peter : " Of a truth I perceive that God 
is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he that feareth 
him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him ; " — 
then proceeded to say in substance, these men came to my 
house, and asked permission to hold a meeting here ; and 
after some conversation with them, believing them to be vital 
Christians, I consented to admit them ; and he concluded by 
saying, " you now see how vital Christians can worship to- 
gether, although they may honestly differ in some things." 

In the spring of 1837, I attended the Yearly Meeting in 
the city of New York. In the course of this visit, I met with 
some very trying cases of an unsanctified ministry. And, in 
16 



182 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

the city, I fell in with J. J. Gurney, from England, with a cer- 
tificate liberating him for religious service in this country. 
I had before met with him in England ; and, as then, so now, 
I believe him to be unsound in the doctrines of Friends ; and, 
therefore, improperly in this country as a minister, and likely 
to bring much trouble upon us. I felt it a duty, to let 
some Friends know that I had not unity with him, nor with 
his mission here as a minister. And when he came to New 
England, the following month, I found it to rest as an obli- 
gation upon me to let him know personally, that not only 
myself, but many others, were dissatisfied with many of his 
religious sentiments. 



FR03I SARAH [LYNES] GRUBB TO JOHN WILBUR. 

Stoke Xewington, 5th, of 6th mo., 1833. 

DEAR AND VALUED FRIEND, 

My address to thee must be short, for I have been much engaged 
from day to day during this Yearly Meeting, having, in the intervals of 
the various sittings, many Friends at my lodging in town, and at ni<*ht 
a house full here, besides visits from elders, &c. Oh, how often have I 
thought of thee ! and how painfully have thy forebodings of mischief 
among us been realized! Alas, the enemy of all good has prevailed 
to no very limited extent ; and the insidious spirit that showed itself 
last year, appears now to be mighty indeed, speaking great swelling 
words, and, for the most part, has had the preeminence, both in meet- 
ings for worship and discipline. This being permitted, has, however, 
opened the eyes of many, who were before unwilling to think that 
things among us were such as called for alarm. I, for one, am rather 
relieved, in the open manifestation of error in doctrine that has taken 
place. I wished for farther opportunity to lay down my burden in the 
meeting at large, and requested it, without effect ; but am satisfied in 
doing what I could. There have been awful moments among us, when 
the state of things was clearly laid open in Truth's own authority. I 
understand, that a visit from the elders is impending for me ; may I be 
enabled to keep in the quiet, holy habitation. The same individuals 
who were crying peace, peace, last year, have done so, this year, with 
increased boldness; yea, a lying spirit is gone forth, and many are 
believing it ; yet some are distinctly evincing the true spirit of prophecy, 



LETTER FROM ANN JONES. 183 

which declares against all that would devise an easier way to glory, 
than by the true ladder. We have with us here our loved niece, Ann 
Moore ; I think « her already a brave soldier. I leave a scrap of this 
sheet for her to cover, and will now take leave. Am glad dear Ann 
Coning has written largely to thee. Charles Osborn lodged here last 
night ; he leaves this land now soon. Farewell. — My husband and 
children love John Wilbur. Hoping we may be near in spirit still, I 
remain thy afflicted and affectionate friend, 

Sarah Grubb. 



PROM ANN JONES TO J. W. 

Stockport, 11th mo., 21st, 1833. 

MY DEAR FRIEND JOHN WILBUR, 

Thy truly acceptable letter of the 15th ult. was welcome to my hand 
yesterday. I have thought much of thee of late, and wished to give 
thee a tangible proof of my continued sisterly sympathy with thee, and 
desire for thy preservation from all the power of the enemy in this 
time of close sifting and proving of faith and patience ; for we are not 
ignorant of Satan's devices, and know full well how ready he is, when 
he cannot cast down below hope, to try to stir up to undue activity in 
vindicating one's own cause or proceedings. Do not mistake me, my 
dear friend — I write not this from any apprehension that thou hast 
fallen into this snare, but rather as an encouragement to thee to be 
guarded on this hand, whilst thou art endeavoring to stand firmly and 
uprightly to what thou believest to be right. It was a noble testimony 
which the enemies of Daniel bore to his integrity and faithfulness, even 
when they sought his life : " We shall not find any occasion against 
this Daniel except we find it against him concerning the law of his 
God." The times in which we live are perilous, and all those who 
would be in deed and in truth the followers of a crucified Lord, have 
abundant need to look well to their standing, to mind his divine injunc- 
tion — " What I say unto you I say unto all — watch, watch and pray 
that ye enter not into temptation." Some of us are aware that our pro- 
ceedings are narrowly watched — may the Lord be my keeper, and then 
it matters little what man may say or do unto me. 

Do present my husband's and my love to our much esteemed and 
worthy ancient friend Moses Brown. Dear old man ! he has stood 
some storms in his day, and, if he lives awhile longer, he will see 
things that he has not yet seen; for surely the clouds are gathering 
and the storm will burst with violence somewhere, I verily believe. 
May the Lord Jehovah be our strength and our song ; then will he be 
our salvation, and our safe hiding-place in time of trouble. I am glad 



184 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

that in dear M. B. thou hast an open and firm friend ; but what are 
others about, to skulk behind the binnacle, when they should come forth 
and show themselves ? If they have Truth on their side, they have 
nothing to fear ; and those who are not engaged on the side of Truth, 
had better not meddle with church affairs. 

Elisha Bates landed at Liverpool (if I mistake not) the latter part 
of 8th mo. ; he has been at and passed through Manchester repeat- 
edly, but we have neither seen him nor received a line or message from 
him, — true, we have not written to him, and it is but too plain that he 
does not want to have any intercourse with or help from us. Anna 
Braithwaite and he were at the Quarterly Meeting at York in the 9th 
mo. together, also at that at Darlington, soon after ; from there to 
Kendal Quarterly Meeting, and then it was planned for Isaac Braith- 
waite to go with E. B. as companion, without his even going again to 
Liverpool, but this was overruled by a letter from I. Had wen, at whose 
house Elisha lodges when at Liverpool, contrary to A. B.'s intention, 
for she had written to meet him on his arrival to request he would go 
to R. Benson's, but happily the letter did not reach him until he was 
settled at I. H.'s. I know not that it matters much where he is, for I. 
and A. B. take care to stick so closely to him, that there is not much 
room for others ; they were at Liverpool with him, and Isaac took high 
ground as to his concern to accompany E. B. A letter from a friend 
says: "The whole tenor of A. B.'s conduct ever after they met E. B. 
at York shows the stress she lays upon having it appear that he is one 
with them. By much that I have heard of late, it is clear they wish 
to have it believed that the views they have differ little, if at all, from 
sound Friends." Here is the subtlety of that spirit which causes divis- 
ions in the church. E. B. and I. B. have both been plainly told that 
it was contrary to the mind and judgment of Friends for I. B. to ac- 
company E. B., and that it was likely to close up the way in many 
minds from receiving him or his ministry, as they otherwise would, 
on account of Isaac having come out so openly in the conference a year 
since, with views differing from those held by the Society from the 
beginning — but all this matters not ; they are gone together to the west 
of England, where there are many valuable Friends, who are not in- 
clined to join in with the new views. I wish they may be firm and 
honest to their feelings, then good will come ouLof it ; but alas ! there 
are so few who keep a straightforward course, with the eye single, in 
times of difficulty, that it makes it harder for those who do. Neverthe- 
less, I do not believe they will accomplish much, if anything, at our 
Yearly Meeting, respecting the conference; and if, by trying their 
strength, they may be convinced of their weakness, it. will be well. 
Whoever lives to see it, I believe all those who are really enlisted 



LETTER FROM SARAH [LYNES] GRUBB. 185 

under the banner of a crucified Lord and leader, and who follow him 
faithfully, without fear or favor of man, will have to suffer deeply, and 
perhaps many will know more than they have yet done, of the neces- 
sity to endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. Oh, the 
subtlety of that spirit which is seeking to lay waste and destroy the 
heritage, deceive the simple, and cry peace, when there is no peace. 
********** 

Our dear friends T. and E. Robson have been from home, principally 
in the west of England, since the Yearly Meeting. I suppose they 
are just about returning. E. R. did not send me thy letter, or write 
me on the subject ; but, from what I have heard from dear G-. and M. 
Crosfield and others respecting thy troubles, I was at no loss to know 
whence they arose. ******* it cannot be in the right ordering 
of things, that the affairs of the Society should be managed by two 
or three individuals. May the blessed Head of the church be hum- 
bly and earnestly sought to for wisdom and strength, and then He 
who formerly put to flight the armies of the aliens will arise for your 
help ; but it seems to me that both you and we must suffer more than 
we have done, before we shall so humble ourselves before the Lord (as 
a people) as to know him to arise and plead his own cause, eminently 
and gloriously. That he will do it, I can have no doubt, for my faith 
is unshaken that he will reserve and preserve to himself a living peo- 
ple, professing^the ancient faith of the gospel as held by our primitive 
Friends, though scattering and desolation may come upon many. I 
believe the promise formerly made will be fulfilled, respecting this peo- 
ple : " I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, 
and they shall trust in the name of the Lord." 

Ann Jones. 

from sarah [ltnes] grubb to j. w. 

Lexden, near Colchester, 20th, of 1st mo., 1834. 

MY DEAR AND VALUED FRIEND, 

The only letter I ever received from thee bears date 8th mo., 2 2d, 
1833. I have perused it repeatedly, and, I think, as often been com- 
forted, and my faith strengthened by what it conveys. I know thou 
must consider it an honor to suffer with the lowly innocent life of thy 
dear Lord, which is now under peculiar (and with respect to our So- 
ciety) novel persecution. Was there ever a time among this people, 
when the language of the lip of Truth became so applicable ? — " False 
Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, 
to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect ; " but may the little ones be 
16* 



186 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

strengthened and encouraged, seeing that that which comes into obe- 
dience to the Truth is ever chosen of God ; and abiding in that which 
brings to the election, these shall never fall, but are indeed kept 
by the power of Him who is mightier than all that ever did or can 
oppose itself to his righteous government. Oh ! dear friend, it seems 
to me that this is indeed a sad time among us in old England. It falls 
to my lot still to proclaim war, in the midst of a general cry of " peace, 
peace ! " 

Didst thou hear anything of dear Ann Moore standing up after me 
in the Yearly Select Meeting ? "When I had uttered a warning voice, 
and declared that the jealousy of the Lord was kindled against that 
spirit which had crept in among us, to draw away from the ancient and 
invincible foundation, &c, Ann repeated the text: "Oh, thou sword of 
the Lord ! when wilt thou be quiet ? Put thyself up into thy scabbard ; 
rest and be still. How can it be still ? For the Lord hath given it a 
charge against Ashkelon, and against the sea-shore. There hath he 
appointed it." This did not fail to produce an expression of disappro- 
bation ; and poor Ann was counselled against siding with me, or being 
influenced by us and Thomas Shillitoe ; but she was conscious that 
none of us had the inclination, even if we possessed the ability, to turn 
her eye from its close attention to the pointings of that unerring Guide, 
by which she was brought among us in this land. I hope this dear 
handmaiden of the Lord has written to thee since hef return home. 
She is often deeply proved, and again she comes forth as gold from the 
furnace. 

I wish we had more truly baptized living ministers ; we have copious 
and eloquent communications from our galleries, and there is an effect 
produced on very large audiences that is very striking ; the attention 
seems riveted to the speaker, and to the subject-matter delivered ; and 
when the address is closed a solemn silence ensues, which is as a 
seal to such ministry. Is it the seal of our immortal King? Does his 
holy hand stamp these offerings, as of his own preparing ? If not, from 
whence have they their origin ? Alas, I often fear that creaturely 
activity takes the place of the movings of the all-enlivening Spirit of 
Truth, the holy anointing ; with which we have no need that any man 
teach us ; and to teach and preach in the absence hereof, seems to me 
to be even taking the name of the Lord our God in vain. But what I 
consider a very awful matter for reflection is, that should the reality 
of what we profess in ministry and worship be wanting, then is it very 
evident that there is a substitute set up amongst us, and a substitute too 
which many times bears an exact resemblance to what comes from God. 
Then whence proceeds this likeness? Must it not be the work and 
device of " Mystery Babylon," who can and does disguise herself sa as 



LETTER FROM SARAH [LYNES] GRUBB. 187 

to pass for what she is not? The eye which is not anointed cannot 
discover the false coloring nor the counterfeit gloss of which she is capa- 
ble. Is there anything in the true church of Christ, the likeness of 
which may not be found in this grand adept at the deceivableness of 
unrighteousness ? 

Many, very many, of our religious community are easily beguiled, 
being unwary ; indeed, not thinking it possible that those to whom they 
have been accustomed to look as " ensamples to the flock," should be 
misled. Our dear youth too, are in numerous instances staggered, say- 
ing, which way shall we look for the right path, and who will show us 
any good ? I trust, however, that the Almighty will be the protection of 
the humble, sincere-hearted ones among the children, gathering their 
spirits into communion with himself, evidencing that " as a hen gather- 
eth her chickens under her wings," even so doth he shelter these tender 
ones from harm. 

I often remember thy saying to me, by our fireside at Stoke Newing- 
ton, that some of us would be stigmatized as Hicksites ; and so it has 
proved. Thou expressed thy apprehension of things getting worse 
before they improved, which is indeed sorrowfully the^ case ; nor can I 
think the magnitude of this evil is yet fully manifest, there remains 
such a disposition to cover it up and thus keep it from view. But, oh, 
there is nothing secret that the all-searching spirit of Omniscience will 
not bring to light ! 

A conference has been proposed, again and again, at the Morning 
Meeting, and in the Quarterly Select Meeting, but strongly opposed. 
Dear Thomas Shillitoe renewed it in our Quarterly Meeting of minis- 
ters and elders last month. It was then deferred, and on opening the 
matter this day week, at the Morning Meeting, some got so irritable, and 
there appeared such a great reluctance to it, that we who had wished 
it yielded. I thought it right to confess that I could not be tenacious, 
remembering that " the servant of the Lord must not strive," express- 
ing, however, my conviction that the state of things called for an 
exchange of views, and free open communication one with another ; for 
I apprehended that there was increasingly a going off from the sure 
foundation ; and that which vaunteth itself against the Truth stalketh 
forth with power, defying the simple, lowly thing, so long professed by 
Friends. J. F. spoke to everything many times through the meeting ; 
he is restless, and appears very zealous in the novel doctrine. P. B., 
G. S., and W. A. would have been glad had way opened for a con- 
ference ; indeed, divers whose cry was to be still, and not think there 
was any approach to schism, now see they were mistaken, and that, 
had the early appearance of danger been arrested, much mischief 
might possibly have been avoided. 



188 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

All this while I have said nothing of a highly talented Friend [Elisha 
Bates] lately come from your land. Some of us cannot get at him, at 
least not so as to admit of any freedom of conversation. He is con- 
stantly accompanied by such as are not of the old school. I. B. has 
travelled with him so far, I believe, ever since he commenced his visit 
to this nation, and now holds a minute from his Monthly Meeting to 
continue with him, although he is likely to stop a considerable time in 
and about London ; but probably thou art in possession of all this from 
some other pen. I heard the Friend preach in our Quarterly Meeting ; 
it was a beautiful exposition of Scripture, and the doctrines of the New 
Testament were brought into view, in sublime language ; his delivery is 
also excellent, yet somehow I felt a chasm which tried me. * * * 
In our last Morning Meeting, the said Friend spoke near the close, in 
answer to what some of us had ventured to assert as giving us alarm. 
I gathered from E. B. that we need not, in his opinion, yield to so much 
uneasiness, recommended charity, brotherly love, &c, and to " beware 
lest any root of bitterness springing up " should trouble us. This did 
not tend to the relief of some of us, but the contrary. I thought it 
savored of the same spirit which has for years been opposing itself to 
that which lays open our real condition as a people, in this country. 

What a very sad thing it will be should the seceding party gain over 
E. B. as a champion ! Oh, my dear friend, I can say that my soul weeps 
in secret and is troubled for my own dear people ! Surely we are fast 
mingling with the world at large, and not a few of the most active are 
taking retrograde steps, as though, having begun in the Spirit, we could . 
be made perfect by the flesh. What a precious pillar must that dear 
Moses Brown be, of whom thy letter speaks so sweetly ! How I should 
like to set my eyes on the patriarchal form ! I am truly glad thou hast 
such a friend. These are days of peril among false brethren ; but we 
do find a few prepared to sympathize with each other, and to bear one 
another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Thou judged rightly 
in concluding that my dear husband and I have much to bear in 
endeavoring to keep firmly to the ancient testimonies of Friends ; we 
are considered " very narrow-hearted, ignorant," and " blind by preju- 
dice ; " but while we long that self may be of no reputation with us, 
we do believe that the straitness is in that which moves off from the 
immutable and invincible foundation, even " Christ within, the hope of 
glory, " — yea, while there may be great profession of faith in the 
outward and visible appearance of him, our blessed Redeemer, and of 
his being the propitiation for our sins ; all of which we old-fashioned 
Quakers as assuredly believe in as the rest, and possibly feel full as 
thankful for, in unfeigned and humble gratitude to him whose name is 
above every name. 



LETTER FROM SARAH [LYNES] .GRUBB. 189 

Thou wouldst feel for that dear old servant of our great Master, 
(Thomas Shillitoe,) couklst thou see how he is persecuted and set at 
naught ; he, however, keeps firmly fixed on the Rock of Ages, against 
which even " the gates of hell shall not prevail." I should not wonder 
if his health gives way under the pressure of deep travail and concern, 
not for his own honor, but for that of the unchangeable Truth as it is 
in Jesus. Our friend J. J. Gurney has been engaged in his usual line 
of religious work, in and about London, for a long time past, taking 
intervals of rest at home, writing, &c. &c. Some Friends think him 
much deepened ; I have not yet discovered it. I always considered him 
very desirous of promoting good, but as not having seen so far as the 
real Friend. The same applies to his amiable sister E. Fry. E. 
Dudley is very active with her natural abilities for speaking and doing. 
All these latter names /consider as not of the old school ; many others 
I could mention, ministers and elders, in town and country — east, west, 
north and south. I have heard nothing lately of our mutual friend, 
Ann Coning — think I shall write to her soon. I have been engaged in 
company with my husband, holding public meetings, and visiting those 
of Friends in this county and Suffolk. We received a certificate for 
the engagement last eighth month ; some objection was started by one 
member in the Monthly Meeting, and I know he was not alone in sen- 
timent, but there was an overpowering expression of unity. Shouldst 
thou favor me with another epistle soon, direct — Jonathan Grubb, 
Lexden, near Colchester, Essex. We have been up to London twice 
to attend our Quarterly Meeting, &c, but expect to remain mostly 
here at our son's house, for some months to come. I find some opposi- 
tion in Suffolk to the ancient doctrines of Friends ; it has not yet made 
so much way in this county. I am indeed exposed to the arrows of 
the archers in a peculiar manner ; yet can at times rejoice in being per- 
mitted to stand against that which is estranged from the real cross of 
Christ, the commonwealth of Israel, although my measure is small, and 
it is only as, or " when I am weak, that I am strong " in the Lord, and 
in the power of his might ; — and all the while we are assured that the 
cause which we are called upon to advocate, is not ours, but that of 
our immortal King, who has no need of us, his poor frail worms, but 
who nevertheless calls into his service, in wisdom inscrutable, and that 
his power may be exalted, while the creature is laid in the dust. We 
have heard but little of Charles Osborn since his return home ; some 
of our spirits are nearly united to him, a mourner in Zion ; we should 
be glad to hear of him and dear Christopher Healy. We have been 
made thankful in thy peaceful feelings on returning to the bosom of thy 
dear family and friends, yet do not doubt thy having to pass through 
many baptisms and exercises, in filling up thy measure of suffering and 



J 



190 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

of active service in the militant Church, and that the kingdom of a 
once crucified and forever glorified Redeemer may prosper in the 
earth. The last Yearly Meeting in London was still more strongly 
marked by novel doctrine than the one thou wast at the preceding 
year, and there was more manifest proof that we were not prepared to 
" see eye to eye." I fear the next will find us more widely differing 
still, and I should not wonder if the liberal party (so called) are per- 
mitted to show themselves as the " scornful men " that ruled in Jerusa- 
lem of old, according to the sacred record ; yet, I believe that the 
tried foundation — the sure foundation, will be made manifest ; and that 
it will be seen that many have not forsaken it, but do know it to be " a 
hiding-place in the day of trouble," " as the shadow of a mighty rock 
in a weary land." * * * * I am not in the habit of much writ- 
ing, but thought for once I would make a substitute for verbally com- 
muning with a far distant, yet near and dear brother. So fare-thee- 
well. 

I am in tender sympathy and regard, thy affectionate friend. 

Sarah G-rubb. 

from lydia a. barclay to j. vt. 

Croydon, near London, 6th mo. 3d, 1834. 



MY DEAR FEIE>'D J. W 



I cannot help feeling it due to thee affectionately to assure thee of 
our near love and unity, if such an assurance from a weak child will 
be acceptable ; yet, I can speak on behalf of many others hereabouts, 
for thou hast very often been in our affectionate remembrance the past 
year, and in speaking of thee, and of the acceptable labor in which 
thou wast engaged amongst us in this land, I think I may say, a degree 
of humble gratitude has covered our minds, under a sense of His good- 
ness who is the giver of all spiritual help, who still condescends to visit 
and to plead with a backsliding people, sending his messengers from 
afar with line upon line ! It has been truly refreshing to remember 
thee and thy two companions in labor, C. Healy and Charles Osborn, 
tending to excite in us the desire to be enabled to walk answerable to 
your exercise on our behalf. 

The letters thou wrote to G. Crosfield are very valuable, and what- 
ever some may say, I cannot doubt that they have been very helpful in 
pointing out to many the precipice towards which they w y ere drawing, 
and have been strengthening to many others. We have felt near 
sympathy with thee under the trials which they have no doubt caused 
thee from some ; but " wisdom is justified of all her children," and if 
they have been instrumental in confirming many feeble knees, and in 
pointing out the hidden and deep snares of the enemy, surely there is 



LETTER FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY. 191 

cause for gratitude ! I expect thou wilt hear from older hands than 
mine an account of this Yearly Meeting. It appeared to me very de- 
ficient of that solemn silence in which we are at times permitted to 
feel, that He reigns over all and has the praise of all, whose alone 
right it everlastingly is ! Ah ! this solemnizing power — how does one 
long that we may increasingly feel the superior value of it above words 
or declarations of it ! It was truly a suffering time to many, both 
from what we felt and heard ! yet it was at times comforting to see 
how some few, even among the middle-aged, were strengthened to 
bear a noble testimony for our ancient principles ; and in some cases 
were the means of stemming the torrent, as it were. ***** 
Ah ! my dear friend, will it do to patch all over with love and unity ? 
it is like trying to unite the iron and the clay in Nebuchadnezzar's 
image. But perhaps I had better not enlarge further on this subject ; 
it is a day to sit alone and keep silence — to watch and pray lest we 
enter into temptation whilst looking at and lamenting over some of our 
dear friends, and mourning over the desolations of our Zion ! May 
He who has dealt so graciously with us and separated us to be a peo- 
ple to bear his name before the nations, turn yet his tender hand upon 
us, melt us, and try us, rather than that we should return back to the 
house of bondage again, and the holy testimony and standard of Truth, 
cojnmitted to our forefathers, should be suffered to fall to the ground, 
as though it had not been anointed J * * * * We feel in a 
quiet corner here, although I desire to remember that the unwearied 
enemy endeavors to creep into every place, and that there is no true 
safety or growth, but in an abiding in Christ the living vine, who will 
keep those who trust in him alone in perfect peace in the midst of all 
shakings ! Dear friend, crave for me that my mind may be so stayed 
and kept, and that I may be enabled to bring forth the fruit that the 
good Husbandman looks for, to the praise of his great and ever excel- 
lent name. 

***** j think I may say, respecting dear S. Grubb, that 
she had a striking and awful testimony to deliver, both in ours and the 
men's meeting, as to the state of things amongst us, also affectionately 
calling the " dear children " to come away from the Lo ! heres and Lo ! 
theres, to Christ within, where his kingdom is to be found, &c, and 
towards the end she stood up boldly for our ancient views on the sub- 
ject of prayer, in opposition to much that has been said inculcating 
modern views. Oh ! it rejoiced the hearts of many to hear her, and I 
trust her burdened mind was a little relieved! May the Lord v of the 
harvest raise up many more such faithful servants as she is, qualified 
by his power alone, and not by human arts and parts ! 

With the salutation of near love, I remain thy affectionate friend, 

Lydia A. Barclay. 



192 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBL'E. 



FROM JOHN BEARD TO J. W. 

Olveston, etli mo. 3.1, 1S34. 

MY VK1IY DEAR FRIEND JOHN WILBUR. 

A packet from Bristol to New York being about to sail in a few flays, 
I am desirous of availing myself of this near opportunity to acknowl- 
edge the receipt of thy truly acceptable letter of 3d mo. 23d. It was 
very pleasant both to my wife and myself to be remembered by thee, 
although it was long looked for ; but I conclude that, travelling so far 
and widely as thou hast, correspondents multiply until it is difficult and 
laborious to satisfy all their demands. We should indeed as well as 
thou be glad to meet again within the confines of mortality, but such a 
world of water separates us, that it seems hardly probable, unless He 
whom thou serves and who has once anointed thee for this peculiar 
work should again in his inscrutable wisdom reanoint for the same 
service, and lay the necessity on thee to traverse the ocean once more 
to proclaim to this nation, and particularly to our Society, the true 
foundation on which his church is built, and that other foundation can 
no man lay than is already laid even Jesus Christ, who is also the only 
head of his own church and the corner-stone thereof. And he who 
attempts to get into this church and fold any other way than by Him 
who is still the door, is but "a thief and a robber." And, my dear friend, 
I am greatly afraid that there are many such thieves and robbers, who 
have climbed up some other way, or if they have ever known a right 
entrance have turned their backs on the revelation of Jesus Christ and 
sought to mark out for themselves some new way to the kingdom ; and 
instead of waiting for the renewed, and repeatedly renewed inspiration 
of the Holy Spirit, as their only authority for speaking in the name of 
the Most High, vainly imagine that once called, they can always min- 
ister to the people. But the manna of yesterday is unfit for food to-day ; 
it must be received afresh from heaven. In this way they not only 
rob God of his honor but rob the people too, by teaching them to de- 
pend on that which is not bread ; and which has not been delivered to 
them by the great Head of the Church to feed the people with. Surely 
such ministers our God will not own ; nor will it profit the hearers. I 
am not writing thus for thy information, but only communicating my 
feelings to a beloved brother who I believe has similar views on this 
subject. The state of my health for the past five months has been such 
as greatly to lessen my ability to bear fatigue, as well as to bear the 
weight of that mental exercise which must fall to the lot of those who 
keep their proper standing and allotments in such a meeting as that of 
our yearly assembly in London. For every living member has doubt- 
less his allotted station in the body appointed him by the great Head 



LETTER FROM JOHN BEARD. 198 

himself; and if we are only favored to abide in that station, occupying 
the talent or talents committed to us, I humbly trust we shall be ac- 
cepted by Him who knows in whose heart it is to serve him. I believe 
I can say that I do sincerely and devoutly desire the prosperity of the 
Truth, and do in my measure lament the grievous defections of many 
in our Society ; but I am at times consoled in the conviction that 
" Truth is Truth though all men forsake it," and although this is a time 
wherein our foundations are tried and proved to the uttermost, and the 
enemy of all righteousness is endeavoring to undermine the very pillars 
of our faith, yet we have this precious consolation, " The Lord knoweth 
them that are his, and they shall be his in the day when he maketh up 
his jewels." My dear friend, with respect to our Society, I regard this 
as a day of peril, wherein all who are on the Lord's side are like Elijah 
called upon boldly to avow their attachment to the true faith. Oh ! may 
we and all the faithful, both in your land and ours, be enabled to keep 
our feet firm on the bottom of Jordan, for verily this is the only safe 
place for all the true supporters of the ark. 

Would it were in my power to give thee a correct account of the 
state of things amongst us as a Society in this nation. There is evi- 
dently much that is amiss in the foremost ranks ; yet there is a kind of 
cloud over it which to me has something of the appearance of a dead 
calm, before a storm ; whether it will burst out in our time remains 
to be seen ; but it is hard to believe that such discordant sentiments 
can long keep the peace, especially with the prevailing desire of the 
day to be heads and leaders. Some think themselves, once called, 
always able to minister without the fresh anointing, others are unduly 
exalting the written law, or giving the Scriptures the preeminence over 
the internal manifestation of the same Divine Spirit which gave them 
forth ; and where the enemy will lead these wandering stars, Omni- 
science only knows ; but surely in their present state they cannot be 
settled in the Truth. It is a fearful thing to contemplate, but, my dear 
friend, can Ave do otherwise than look for a time of sifting, when the 
false doctrine shall be separated from the true ? I feel at times as I 
believe thou and other exercised minds feel, discouraged, as did Elijah 
when he said they have slain thy prophets and digged down thine altars, 
and I only am left ; yet Divine goodness is sometimes pleased to show 
these deeply exercised ones, that there are yet many in Israel who 
have not bowed the knee to Baal nor worshipped his image. 

Should thy Master see meet to send thee here again, thou will I be- 
lieve find a hearty welcome, and most assuredly plenty of work to do ; we 
want such workmen and such watchmen ; but whether we are permitted 
to meet again in mutability or not, it is the prayer of my spirit that we 
may, when this mortal shall put off mortality, be favored to obtain the 
17 



194 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls, by and through^ Jesus 
Christ our Lord. May we be enabled notwithstanding our present trials 
to look beyond the scenes of this life, and with an eye of faith discover 
the crown immortal, eternal, that fadeth not away, which can only be 
obtained at the end of the race ; and may this animate us to press for- 
ward even to the end. My dear Ann joins me in very dear love to 
thee and thy wife and family, and desires to add her name and be a 
partaker in this. 

We remain thine, very affectionately, John Beard, 

Ann Beard. 

from george crosfield to j. tv. 

Liverpool, 7th mo., 23d, 1834. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

I have to acknowledge the receipt of thy letter of 6th mo., 20th, 
from Newport, which I received on the 14th inst. The account which 
thou hast given me of your Yearly Meeting, is very interesting ; and I 
am obliged to thee for it. We shall receive John Warren as a brother, 
and as one attached to the ancient views of Friends ; if he supports those 
views, as I trust he will, bonds and afflictions and even persecutions 
await him in this land. I hope he will be preserved ; but it is wonderful 
how some with you have coincided with the innovating class here. 
***** j annex an extract from a letter of James Backhouse, 
which I am sure thou will peruse with much interest. I consider it 
as most valuable testimony, because it comes from one well able to 
judge, and who is entirely removed from all influence of the different 
views which have been taken of thy letters. It has been copied by 
many Friends, and extensively circulated. I read it to Elisha Bates 
and I. Braithwaite ; they made no comments, and often as I have been 
in E. B.'s company, he has never alluded to the letter pro nor con. 
* * * * George Crosfield. 

Extract of a letter from James Backhouse, of York, dated 
at Hobartown, in Van Diemen's Land, 10th mo., 12th, 1833, 
and received at York, 4th mo., 3d,. 1834. 

" I have not read through Jaffrey's Diary, but am pleased, inter- 
ested, and instructed by what I have read. We are greatly comforted 
by reading John Wilbur's letters ; it is real cause for thankfulness that 
he has been enabled to point out the dangers attendant upon the Chris- 
tian's path, both on the right hand and on the left. I hope the Divine 
blessing may rest on his labors, and that those who have been like to 
be jostled off the foundation by conflicting views, may become settled 
thereon in soundness of faith, doctrine and practice, and know what it 



LETTER FROM SARAH TUCKER. 195 

is to have salt in themselves. If persons would look upon the pages of 
Holy Scripture, as direction-posts on the way of the Christian traveller, 
but not as the way itself, they would not get far wrong. And it only 
says little for the degree in which any have the eyes of their under- 
standing enlightened when they begin to mistake the direction-posts for 
the road, and to fancy that they are travelling on, because they now 
and then read them. If they read them without regard to the way 
they point, they may read them and even go the wrong way ; but if 
with diligence they attend to their direction, and continue to pass on 
from faith to faith, they will find that their joy will be greatly increased 
by observing that they make progress, and that their progress is proved 
by the lessons taught from Holy Scripture according with those learned 
in the way of experience, and those learned in the way of experience 
according with those taught by Holy Scripture." 



FROM SARAH TUCKER TO J. W. 

Dartmouth, [Massachusetts,] 8th mo., 7th, 1834. 

MY DEAR FRIEND JOHN WILBUR, 

I may inform thee that we received thy acceptable and satisfactory 
letters in due season, and are rejoiced to find that thou art fully aware 
of the arrows of the archers, and, we believe, truly sensible wherein 
thy safety alone depends ; and have no doubt but that thou wilt, through 
all the conflicts and deep baptisms which Infinite Wisdom may see meet 
to allot unto thee, experience divine preservation ; hid as in the hollow of 
his holy hand, from even the noise of archers, as the watch and warfare 
is on thy part maintained. I believe my dear husband, feeling and see- 
ing thy exposed situation, designed those hints more as a watchword 
than as a reproof for anything he knew. 

We feel deeply for thee, as well as for the precious cause of Truth, 
greatly desiring thy encouragement, believing that strength and ability 
suitable to the day, will be mercifully afforded unto all those whose 
meat and whose drink it is to do or to suffer their Divine Master's 
will. But it is a day in which the cry for more liberty and conformity 
is very vehement, notwithstanding the Holy Scriptures (which these 
innovators profess to value very highly) do positively say, " Be ye not 
conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your 
minds, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect 
will of God." A sense of these things is affecting and grievous to the 
rightly exercised, and causes many, I believe, to go heavily on their 
way, clad with mourning and sackcloth. But what different, I would 
ask, are the followers of a crucified Lord to expect ? Is not this 
the very path which he, the Lord of life and glory trod, and did he 
not forewarn his followers, that this must be the path of all who would 



196 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

be his disciples, when he told them that in the world they should have 
tribulation ? But how sustaining and consoling is the subsequent language 
uttered by him at the same time, " Be of good cheer, for I have over- 
come the world." Then let us not, my dear friend, be too much cast 
down or depressed in spirit, at the seeing or the hearing of these things ; 
for verily the Lord will prosper his own work, his honorable and glori- 
ous work ; for mighty is his arm, strong is his hand, and high is his 
right hand ! It does appear to me to be safe, while we are concerned 
to endure patiently reproaches and revilings, — yea, buffetings and 
scornings, — with all forbearance and meekness and gentleness and 
charity — true charity — that we also be concerned earnestly to contend 
for the faith once delivered to the saints, as we feel ourselves author- 
ized by Christ Jesus our heavenly shepherd, who alone can guide in 
wisdom's paths, and gird with Divine strength for every battle ; shield- 
ing with that faith which gives the victory, and by which alone we are 
enabled to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free 
that we be not again entangled in the yoke of bondage. 

Now, I may tell thee what I sometimes think of, and it seems com- 
fortable. I think I have a little gleam of better days, for it always ap- 
peared to me that buildings, however stately, without good foundation, 
were of short duration ; because they will not, they cannot, in the very 
nature of things, endure trial, but when the fire, the wind, and the earth- 
quake approach and beat against them, they must fall ; and, I believe, 
that after all these have spent themselves and are passed away, a quiet 
serenity and stillness will succeed ; at which time it will be a season of 
returning and of gathering unto that city which hath foundations whose 
builder and maker the Lord is. This I pray the Almighty Father to 
hasten in his own time ; and I do believe that the Lord is yet graciously 
disposed to build up Zion, and to strengthen the walls of Jerusalem, 
and will be, yea is now pleased, with the sacrifices of righteousness, and 
will preserve a remnant who will be found willing to suffer for the tes- 
timonies of. Jesus, concerned to magnify the law, and make it honor- 
able ; even the law of the Lord after the inner man. 

Wilt thou not say I have forgotten whom I am addressing? I am 
conscious, my dear friend, that thou knowest all these things, and much, 
very much more than I can say. But I trust I shall not give offence ; 
for I feel often as though I could weep with those who weep, and re- 
joice with those who can rejoice in tribulation, m poverty, and deser- 
tion, in having nothing — nothing of their own — no coat or covering that 
they dare trust to, or depend upon, but the power and spirit of Jesus 
Christ, and yet with this possessing all things needful ; my spirit sym- 
pathizes with such wherever scattered, and can bid them God speed. 
******** Thy friend, 

Sarah Tucker. 



LETTER FROM JOHN BARCLAY. 197 

FROM JOHN BARCLAY TO J. W. 

Croydon, 5th of 10th mo., 1834. 



MY DEAR FEIEXD, 



I fear it will almost seem as if I did not value thy kind communica- 
tion of the 12th mo. last, to suffer so long an interval to elapse ere I 
reply to it. But be assured this is not the case, far from it. Thy 
letter has been in my pocketbook ever since I received it, which was 
not till the 5th mo., in order to reply to it, as well as to have the pleas- 
ure of often reading it both to myself and occasionally to an intimate 
friend — a poor mourning brother or a sister in the faith. Most fully do 
I, and many more, unite in all thou hast conveyed both in those lines 
and in every line I have heard read as coming from thy pen, and 
especially in those clear views thou hast received, to give forth, as I do 
believe, relative to the state of the church, past, present, and to come. 
And my heart, with the hearts of many in this land, does indeed salute 
thee, and bid thee God speed on thy journey, travail, and service ; 
desiring that no man or thing may hinder thee from doing all thou 
hast, in thy measure and in thy day, to do for Him and his glory, for 
his cause and people, while life and strength are graciously vouchsafed. 
Oh, how often have I remembered thee and thought of thee, as one 
whom the Lord has made use of in an eminent manner, while on thy 
visit in these Islands, to uncover and bring out to view the working of 
the wily enemy, as it is this day, and to manifest the path of the Just 
One, and the work of God in and among his people. Thou wilt be 
pleased to hear (and Oh, that I may continue in the grateful, humbling 
sense of these mercies !) that " Jaffray " has been almost everywhere 
very favorably received, even enemies to the Truth, or those that 
would prevent it, acknowledging their admiration at the record therein 
borne. * * * 

I advertised u Jaffray " pretty largely in periodicals, literary and 
religious, and have especially in view those among other Societies who 
are seeking the best things, and not settled in their forms. As surely 
as I believe the views, which we have ever held, to be according to 
Truth, so do I believe, that many up and down are preparing to ac- 
knowledge and embrace them ; and that these old-fashioned testimonies 
which are advocated in our early Friends' books, will come to be ad- 
mired and sought out, whether our people scout them or not. 

Some of those who once were in esteem, have said Penington's 

writings had better be put into a heap and burned ; while on the other 

hand, a preacher at Brighton, who preaches in his own chapel without 

pay, and is flocked to, recommended publicly to his hearers Penington's 

17 * 



198 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

Letters, and in consequence Friends there were applied to for the 
book ! Oh, surely there is a goodly company without our pale, who 
may even take the places and the crowns too of those, be they who 
they may, who desert the cause which once was dear to them, and 
which they honored, but now seek to undermine, lay waste, or make 
of none effect, endeavoring to lower the standard, and make it square 
with their own notions and practice. I have been asked by more than 
one, standing somewhat high among us, to leave out, in my 2d edition 
of " Jaffray," that quotation from thy " Letters," in my notes to the 
Memoirs of Friends in Scotland ; but I inserted it purposely, and out 
of a sense of duty, knowing it would not please such as depart, or 
are in danger of departing from the faith once delivered to the 
saints. ***** 

There has been a mighty endeavor by all means to salve things over, 
and heal up all, and some have seemed in degree to see and recover 
themselves out of the snares in which they were all but taken, and 
others profess great desires for love and unity, meekness, gentleness, 
patience, &c. But on the whole, it does seem to me, the temptations 
are more and more seen through by Friends at large, especially the 
truly lowly, contrite, little, teachable ones — the poor of the flock. I 
have been absent from home three months this summer, in the West, 
having liberty for religious service among Friends as way might open ; 
and found myself obliged to join hands with a beloved Friend, in visit- 
ing the families of Friends in Falmouth Monthly Meeting. And in 
that engagement, as well as everywhere, I had occasion to notice, that 
though the standing of many seems in slippery places and on shifting 
ground, and many of understanding may yet fall, there is, nevertheless, 
a worthy remnant, whose hands, though hanging down, I trust will not 
let go their hold of that which they have truly handled, and know to 
be their only hope, and strength, and safety. Dear William Byrd is 
yet living, and alive in the Truth, though very helpless, laid on a sofa 
by day, yet cheerful, calm, and clear in his intellect. Samuel Rundell 
of Liskeard, and Sarah Tucker, are veterans, and quite aware of the 
mode of warfare now abroad. The former has published, at Yearly 
Meeting time, " Observations on Redemption, Worship, Ministry, 
Supper," &c. — a pamphlet thou wouldst value I think. It is for those 
not Friends, but hits many points in which Friends are implicated, and 
is likely to be reprinted, and I am now in correspondence with him 
upon it, having had it in hand before. Poor Ann Tweedy seemed 
bowed in mourning greatly, feeling like many others of us day and 
night, how things are tending and verging, though very quietly and 
artfully, and to many almost imperceptibly. No convulsion awaits us, 
as with you ; it might be better for us if it were so. No, no ; the 



LETTER FROM JOHN BARCLAY. 199 

enemy is wiser than to foment this ; he would not hurt us for the world ; 
no, only let us be induced to give up the true foundation for another, 
and he promises so gently and peaceably to glide us on it, that we shall 
not know it, except that it will be less rugged and hard to flesh and 
blood, without any cross or struggle, and there shall be nothing taken 
from us that we affect to prize, such as our customs and traditions, our 
church system, and so forth, nothing shall be disturbed of all this, and 
all the professors and the world too, shall love us the better ! A new 
edition of J. J. Gurney's Peculiarities, with additions, has passed a com- 
mittee of the Morning Meeting, of which I was one. Oh, it made my 
heart sick to attend it, only that my Master whispers, "All these things 
must needs come to pass — but see that ye be not troubled." A Friend 
that I have been accustomed to look up to, as to a mother in Israel, 
actually said on one occasion, when we came upon something of very 
doubtful and dangerous import, that many years back she should have 
found a difficulty in the passage, and she thought the Society at large 
was, perhaps, not prepared to receive it as it stood ; yet she acknowl- 
edged the truth of it, but thought it had better be somewhat modi- 
fied ! Ah ! my friend, the language is, " I will show thee yet greater 
abominations than these." And in this book of which I speak, thou 
mayst see far more open palpable proof (in an additional chapter on 
worship and ministry) that thy sentiments, expressed in thy " Letters," 
are indeed true, or rather short of the whole truth. It is needful I 
should say, I protested in my feeble way, against the tendency of the 
whole chapter, telling the committee and the author, that the contrast 
was strong between that and Barclay's Apology. The Morning Meet- 
ing is, however, dissatisfied that works should be examined by a com- 
mittee, so that I hope the rule will be altered next year. The above 
mentioned Friend [J. J. G.] has been visiting families in our Quarterly 
Meeting for a long time at intervals, and especially giving lectures on 
religious subjects ; which is a sort of new gift that has sprung up in 
these days, wherein the performer has more liberty to follow the divina- 
tion of his own brain, than in speaking by immediate revelation, as the 
Spirit lays under a necessity and gives ability and utterance ; thus there 
is 'more room for the creature to take a part. I have not attended any ; 
but they have been flocked to by Friends and others, who are generally 
much taken with the plan. We heard yesterday, in the Meeting for 
Sufferings, that John Warren is arrived at Liverpool. Oh, that he 
may be instructed, and led along in safety, preserved and strengthened 
to espouse the holy cause, and refresh the poor heritage ! 

As to E. Bates, who is just about setting sail from our shores, it is 
my painful belief he has been sadly misled, as to the state of things in 
this land, supposing we were in danger from Hicksism ; and he has been 



200 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

sheltered under the wing of those who have carefully kept him from 
being undeceived. Oh, how instructive it is to see that the most emi- 
nently gifted instruments are only really useful while in the Divine 
hand and ordering ; and that the Almighty is not bound to work by 
them but as he sees meet ; and he can raise up striplings, that so no 
flesh should glory. It is the distinguishing feature of this heresy, that 
it runs among the rich, the great, the learned, the eloquent, the spirit- 
ually gifted, and highly experienced ; and these in our land are con- 
nected by various ties, almost from one end of the kingdom to the 
other ; so that they generally bear rule, where things are carried 
by respect of persons, or other inferior consideration. My dear brother 
Rawlinson sees more and more into these things ; he likewise has been 
travelling through many northern counties, for the benefit of his health 
in part, and has been much at large meetings, and among the chief 
folks. He says the withering tendency of these new views is already 
beginning to appear, and will, he believes, more and more. He speaks 
of having encountered some that have been as pillars, and it astonished 
him how soon they were silenced, and how little they could substantiate 
against the early Friends and their doctrines. Speaking of a great 
meeting in Westmoreland, and of a Friend with whom he had a tough 
discourse, he writes that he appeared on the 1st day in both meetings ; 
" but such a drowsy afternoon meeting I do not remember to have 
attended anywhere. Before me (for I faced the meeting) and behind 
me, the process of nodding was going forward ! Alas, surely if the 
word of faith is not preached — the word nigh in the heart, how chilling 
must be the ministry in Quakers' meetings, for worship!" All this 
will not surprise thee, my dear friend. — Oh, that all who are not with 
us would even go out from us, and show their true colors ; it would 
be more honorable than to be endeavoring to insinuate something else 
among us, which our fathers could not, neither can we adopt ; nay, 
which we have protested against, and came out from, when we became 
a people. ******* 

Dear Thomas Shillitoe was taken poorly at P. Bedford's, and was 
prevented being at our Quarterly Meeting, but is better again. He 
told me, after the Select Meeting, there was nothing too bad to expect 
in these times ; and truly I much question whether some who can speak 
abundance about what our blessed Saviour has done for them, having 
forsaken or slighted his witness in the conscience, can, notwithstanding 
all their high profession, be trusted for common honesty and sincerity. 
There is a want of simplicity, uprightness, straightforward acting; and 
it manifests itself in our meetings for discipline, in political expediency, 
manoeuvring, and subtle unworthy ways of getting things passed in 
meetings. From what I understand, things are more as could be 



LETTER FROM J. W. TO SARAH TUCKER. 201 

wished in Ireland than here, and those they send us, as representatives 
stand their ground firmly, and are a real help to us. * * * * 
* * Farewell, my beloved friend ; may the Most High be our shield 
and our exceeding great reward, and a very present help in trouble. 
With dear love, in which my wife and sister Lydia unite, I remain thy 
sincere friend, John Barclay. 

FROM JOHN WILBUR TO SARAH TUCKER. 

Hopkinton, 2d mo., 20th, 1835. 

MY DEAR FRIEND SARAH TUCKER, 

I will now acknowledge that for more than half a year, I have been 
indebted to thee for thy truly comfortable and interesting salutation re- 
ceived at Portsmouth, and a sweet repast it proved as we travelled on 
the way from thence towards Providence. And how refreshing indeed, 
and strengthening too, to trace in the communications of a dear friend 
that which meets the witness in ourselves, and answers as face to face in 
a glass ; strikingly indicative of the mercy and goodness of our Heavenly 
Father, not only in permitting, but in wisely ordering a union of feel- 
ing in the covenant of the everlasting gospel among all his children, 
from the least unto the greatest. This makes them rejoice in the ex- 
cellency of his love which so exceedingly enlarges our hearts towards 
him, and abundantly tends to quicken our feelings, and to bring us near 
one to another — yea, and mutually to desire the building up and estab- 
lishment of one another in " the obedience of faith," and upon a foun- 
dation which never faileth. How precious, my dear friend does this 
look to me, and how thankful do I desire to be, that the blessed Giver 
of every good and perfect gift, has given me many beloved brothers 
and tender sisters ; and disposed them by the power of that love which 
pervades his whole heritage, and gathers unto himself, — to desire and 
to intercede for my preservation ! The prayers of the righteous are 
declared to avail much ; but then I need not say to thee, that God 
must have the glory and honor of our preservation, if indeed we are 
favored with that unspeakable gift. But truly my dear friend, thou 
also knowest that unless we watch continually and pray fervently for 
ourselves, and for the angel of his presence to be encamped round 
about us, all the prayers of all the saints in the militant church will 
not keep us ! Then how clearly we see the propriety of annexing to 
our prayers for one another, the exhortation, of, " Stand fast in the 
Lord, and let no man take thy crown." O the temptations, assaults, 
and bufferings of our souls' enemy ! He seems to be stalking abroad 
as at noonday, seeking for prey which he may devour ! Then how 
needful for the servants of the Lord to dwell in his light which will 
detect the adversary in his every movement and in his every transfer- 



202 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

mation ; and to live and to dwell very near to Him whose power alone 
can protect us against the delusions, as well as against " the fiery darts 
of the wicked one." 

Although my life for these several years past, has been, very much 
a life of mourning and a season of lamentation, on account of the se- 
ductions of the enemy, and the inroads which he is making in our 
Zion, yet I am bound to say that the Lord has been very gracious, 
and in the midst of my despondings, sometimes for myself, and some, 
times for the Church, has removed, at seasons, all doubt of the sufficien- 
cy of his grace or of his power, and encouraged my soul to trust in him. 
In some of these seasons it has been made manifest to my understand- 
ing, that everlasting kindness will not suffer anything to befall his 
obedient and truly dependent children, that will do them any harm ; as 
they are faithful — keep the word of his patience and trust in him. 
When thus, through unmerited mercy, my mind has been strengthened 
to trust in the Lord, and to rejoice for a season in his salvation, then 
my own trials and individual sufferings have appeared as but a drop 
from the bucket, compared to the afflictions which do rest, and, as I ap- 
prehend, will increasingly rest, upon all the faithful testimony bearers 
in our Israel. Will not the cries of these, lifted up day and night be 
graciously heard of the Lord of Sabaoth, and regarded by him, as they 
lie very low before him and confess their own nothingness and unwor- 
thiness as well as insufficiency to do anything without him ; and are 
also willing to endure hardness for his blessed name's sake — to do what- 
soever he calls for at their hands, and careful to do no more. By the 
prayers and faithfulness of these I trust, my dear sister, the Redeemer 
of the world will send forth his power, to the saving alive and to the 
sparing, at least of a remnant of his people. And if they will count 
nothing too dear to fgive for the exaltation of his testimonies, he will 
cause the life and power of his blessed presence to abound in them, and 
to go along with them, to the pulling down of some of the strong-holds 
of the destroyer. ******* 

John Wilbur. 



FROM DANIEL WHEELER TO JOHN WILBUR. 

"Henry Freeling "— Papieta Bay, Island of Otaheite, 5th mo. 21st, 1835. 

MT DEAR FRIEND, JOHN WILBUR, 

Although much time has elapsed since we saw each other at Nor- 
wich in England, and though many have been the turnings and over- 
turnings of my heavenly Lord and Master's hand since that day, yet 
at seasons I have never ceased to remember thee, in the fresh abound- 
ings of that love, the precious influence of which, binds together in 



LETTER FROM DANIEL WHEELER. 203 

one, the disciples of the one crucified, risen and glorified Lord, how- 
ever distant from each other their lot may be cast. Thou mayest prob- 
ably have heard something, (though I doubt it as I write,) of the fight 
of affliction and distress which I had to endure, within the borders of 
my own beloved family, which deprived me of the beloved partner of 
all my joys and sorrows, and a faithful sharer in them for more than 
thirty-two and a half years. What my Master did, I knew not at the 
time, but have since known, to the comfort and consolation of my trib- 
ulated mind, and to the praise and glory of his grace. " What I do, 
thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter." And persuaded 
I am, renewedly, that every dispensation of his holy will, towards me, 
was only to prepare me for the great work in which I am now en- 
gaged ; and to set the captive spirit more and more free from every 
earthly care, and to wean it from the near and dear social tie, and 
render it more fit to be employed in the highest, greatest, and most 
noble calling upon earth, even in a cause, dignified with immortality, 
and crowned with eternal life. 

In addition to this heavy trial, which took me back across the conti- 
nent of Europe, a winter's journey, twenty-eight days in length, once 
more to behold the wreck of my precious family, and regulate their 
affairs, for their future well-being, the messengers of Satan, (for they 
were many,) were let loose to buffet me. After the vessel " Henry 
Freeling," from which I now address thee, was fitted out, we sailed 
from London on the thirteenth of eleventh mo., 1833, and joined her a 
few miles below Gravesend ; and eventually proceeded from there to 
Portsmouth, in the neighborhood of which we were detained more than 
four months, by strong adverse gales, and other circumstances, but all 
tending eventually to promote the great object in view ; and I fully 
believe, " working together for good." During this long detention, 
in the winter months, our little bark, of about one hundred tons only, 
was often tempest-tost without, and some on board often tempest-tost 
within. 

After having been here about a month, my mind was sorely 
exercised, and there was but one way for me to throw it off, to my 
relief; and this was by making an open avowal, that I was not satis- 
fied to proceed any further, let the consequences be what they might, 
with the Friend appointed by the " Meeting for Sufferings " in Lon- 
don, as an assistant — or by some termed a companion, but not by my- 
self. This circumstance seemed to raise a " hue and cry " — or some- 
thing like it, against me in almost every part of England ; and at 
length, drew down a committee appointed by the " Meeting for Suffer- 
ings" to visit me at Portsmouth, viz: Peter Bedford, George Stacey, 
Josiah Forster of Tottenham, and Samuel Gurney; bringing witli them 



204 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

the final determination of a Meeting for Sufferings specially convened 
on the occasion, which was — that I should be left at liberty to proceed 
on the voyage without any further companion than my son Charles, 
(about twenty-four years of age,) who believed it his duty to resign 
his situation in Russia, (all the living that he had,) and surrender him- 
self to the Divine disposal, by making the offer of going with me, and 
of making himself useful in any way that might present, if approved 
by Friends in London; and this was accepted by the generality of 
Friends, as far as I know ; but the conduct of Daniel Wheeler in this 
business was considered, from north to south, to be highly reprehensi- 
ble, if not shameful, — to use the said Friend in the manner I had done. 
They wanted a reason, and I could give them none ; but that I had 
acted under a sense of duty. This could not be reconciled. It was 
not understood by those who never heard the Master's voice, at any 
time, or saw his shape ; and I fear it may be said, believe not in him. 
Of this description I am aware thou art not ignorant ; there are not a 
few in our Society in England. I think they cannot be better pointed 
out than by my saying, they were such as highly disapprove of " John 
Wilbur's Letters," published by George Crosfield, of which I am 
thankful, in having several copies now along with me. But what 
puzzled these people most of all, was that the Friend and myself parted 
in brotherly love. There had at no time been any difference existing 
between us, and I quite thought that he had been right in making the 
offer, at the outset, inasmuch as he had promoted my being set at lib- 
erty by the "Meeting for Sufferings," which would not have been the 
case if another Friend had not offered himself, as neither the outfit nor 
the purchase of the vessel would have been entered into, until one had 
showed himself. When we separated at Portsmouth, he gave me as 
handsome a clearance in writing, as I could desire, or wish for ; and in 
a letter to the Monthly Meeting at Balby, (near Doncaster,) to which 
we both belong as members, I had also given him full satisfaction, and 
the meeting too, as well as the " Meeting for Sufferings," which had 
been furnished, by myself, with a copy of the said letter. Moreover, 
when sifted by some friends who wanted to get information from him, 
he, in the same noble manner, declared that if he had it to do again, he 
would still do the same ; but even this could not satisfy. I received 
letter after letter reproaching me for my conduct, and declaring that 
my going had not their unity; and one Friend did not hesitate to express 
his belief that the Divine presence was withdrawn from me, that I was 
left to myself, and that the detention and other circumstances com- 
bined to declare it. At one time I concluded to return to London, and 
meet these enemies, face to face, but something continually occurred to 
prevent my taking this step, when ready to set out. Some of my true 



LETTER TO JAMES AND SARAH TUCKER. 205 

friends approved of it, and others dreaded the result. I was, however, 
favored to see through this snare of the enemy, for I fully believe if I 
had gone again to London, the voyage would have been set aside alto- 
gether ; as I am satisfied that it would have caused a complete expos- 
ure of the principles of many among us, and a complete explosion 
also ; and I was not desirous to shrink from going, on this account, but 
the language in my mind was, " Let the dead bury their dead — but go 
thou ! " I believe many Friends could see the divine Hand in all this, 
as it occasioned my writing many letters, in support, I humbly trust, 
of the Truth as it is in Jesus. The detention also afforded time for 
our captain's character to be fully developed, and another to be ap- 
pointed in his place. It was thought afterwards by many, and partic- 
ularly by myself, that we had not been detained one day too long. I 
must pass over all particulars of the voyage ; however, on leaving the 
neighborhood of Portsmouth, we reached our anchorage in the harbor 
of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, — without making a single tack, — a thing, 

perhaps, never done before by any vessel. 

*********** 

Farewell, my very dear friend. My dear love awaits thee and 
thine, and all those that in sincerity love the Lord Jesus, in which my 
Charles would gladly join, and believe me thy affectionate friend. 

Daniel Wheeler. 



FROM JOHN WILBUR TO JAMES AND SARAH TUCKER. 

Hopkinton, 9th mo., 8th, 1835. 

MY DEAR FRIENDS JAMES AND SARAH TUCKER, 

Although I have not received a line from your hands since I last 
wrote, for which omission I have no doubt but you have had sufficient 
reason, yet having now a good opportunity by my niece, and feeling 
too, as I trust, a continuance of that love which has many times, even 
when absent, brought you very near to me — I am willing to renew 
the salutation of it, in a covenant which I hope will never end ; for I 
am persuaded that you are of that number who are desiring, according 
to the strength which may be given, to support and even advance the 
Lord's cause among his people. And I rejoice in believing that there 
are yet in the Church those who are faithful " In labors, in watchings, 
in fastings ; by pureness, by knowledge, by kindness, by the Holy 
Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of Truth, by the power of God, 
by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by 
honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report ; as deceivers and 
yet true ; as unknown and yet well known ; as dying and behold they 
live ; as chastened and not killed ; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing ; 
18 



206 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

as poor, yet making many rich ; as having nothing, and yet possessing all 
things." May the Church under our name never be wanting of those 
who can set their seals to this striking description of the humble and 
true Christian's experience. To the living members of the body it is 
no mystery — to you, my dear friends, it needs no interpretation. Well, 
my friends, however depressed with a sense of our own weaknesses, 
however laden with infirmities, let us look confidently to Him on 
whom help is laid, let us nevertheless press forward towards the mark 
for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, in 
the faith of the everlasting covenant ; then will he be to us strength in 
weakness, riches in poverty, and a present help in the time of need. 
And when the deepest baptisms are administered by the hand of the 
Lord, or suffered through any medium whatever, then shall we witness 
judgment brought to the line, yea, as it may be, in the midst, or with 
our feet standing upon the very bottom of the River of Judgment. 
Then shall we be prepared also to see righteousness and uprightness 
invariable with the plumb line ; we shall be quicksighted and of 
ready discernment, not only to see a little of the purposes of heavenly 
Wisdom, but of the mystery of iniquity, and its working in the chil- 
dren of disobedience. And then, however deep and constant our con- 
cern for the safety of our own souls, we shall sometimes witness this con- 
cern to be swallowed up of one which is greater and higher, even for 
the safety of the Church of Christ and for her testimonies. In such a 
concern, his loyal subjects have not been wont to account their own 
lives dear to themselves, when compared with the ministry which they 
have received of Christ Jesus to testify of the gospel of the grace of 
God. 

And now I feel free to say to you, my dear friends, as to those whom 
I know will be discreet in knowledge, that my fears regarding things on 
the other side of the water are being lamentably realized ; that such 
as my labors there, both by word and writing, were designed to coun- 
teract, are notwithstanding very likely to prevail to an alarming de- 
gree ; and whether the Society there will be able to purge itself by a 
copious dismemberment, or whether a disjunction w r ill take place, or 
whether the leaven will be suffered to remain till the whole be leavened, 
as was the case with the primitive Church, when it graduated into 
apostasy, is yet uncertain. 

The unsoundness is far the most prevalent amongst the wise, the 
rich, the learned and the influential ; which renders it exceedingly 
difficult to raise the authority of Truth above it. The avowal and de- 
velopment of their views were issued forth (in the " Beacon ") by a 
person living in a Monthly Meeting where their strength was great, so 
that the author could not there be dealt with. But the Quarterly 



LETTEK FROM STEPHEN GOULD. 207 

Meeting, by a great exertion of the faithful members, did appoint a 
committee to assist the Monthly Meeting in dealing and placing judg- 
ment. And it is said that the Quarterly Meeting, on account of the 
strength it had to contend with, applied to their last Yearly Meeting, 
and that the Yearly Meeting appointed a committee to assist the Quar- 
terly Meeeting. But unhappily (as I greatly feared) several of those 
influential characters — such as above alluded to — were nominated on 
the committee. By recent information we learn that the committees 
both met at Lancashire Quarterly Meeting ; and all that I can under- 
stand to have been done was, that the Yearly Meeting's committee 
requested the Quarterly Meeting's committee not to act without its 
permission. So that things stand in a very unpleasant suspense. But 
after all there is one favorable circumstance, namely, the disavowal of 
the Beacon by the Morning Meeting in London. Nevertheless the 
aspect of things there looks fearful ; and that fearfulness, or the occa- 
sion of it, has extended itself to these shores. Sometimes the sallies 
from sound Christian doctrine are in one direction, and sometimes in 
another ; the object and aim at this time seems to be, to divide and 
distinguish Christ from his own spirit. 

Such assertions as the following are now to be met with repeatedly, 
— if ministers and elders, and others both of our own parts and 
strangers are to be credited — namely, that " the Spirit of Truth is no 
part of a Saviour ; " " that Christ only, and him crucified, is to be 
preached; that these pretensions of the Light and the Spirit must 
vanish away," &c. &c. But the advocates for such assertions and for 
such a preacher, say that he is entirely sound, and that the difficulty 
rests wholly upon our want of understanding him, — an apology as you 
will recollect, very similar to one frequently made on behalf of 
another innovator some ten years ago, about New York and Philadel- 
phia. I am thinking, that if the wise and learned cannot speak so as 
to be understood, whether they would not do well, to give place to the 
ignorant and unlearned, whose declarations are seldom if ever misun- 
derstood ; especially if their motives are pure and their anointing of 
the Lord, as were those of Peter, James and John. ***** 

I remain your friend and brother in tribulation, 

John Wilbur. 



FROM STEPHEN GOULD TO J. "W. 

Newport, 10th mo., 20th, 1835. 

DEAR FRIEND JOHN WILBUR, 

I have nothing new from England. Our friend T. T. has either 
thought best not to write, or the letter has miscarried. I expect his 



208 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

mind is under much discouragement and perplexity on account of the 
state of things among them, and well indeed it may be, for where is our 
Society in a state of settlement, holding the authority and power in the 
Truth that it did in the days that are past — to be sure something remains 
among us, but the seed is under oppression and sorely distressed in 
many places. * * I learn that things at the school are no better. 
Poor Seth and Mary have a fiery trial and my soul sympathizes with 
them deeply ; I have trod their path and know it well. * * * When 
that which was once known in our Society as skill and wisdom degen- 
erates into manoeuvre and stratagem, it is time things were stopped and 
resumed on a more honest plan. * * * 

Hannah Backhouse and Anna Thorn are now about twelve days on 
their passage, and if they have had the weather as we have had it, they 
must have had a pleasant time. I wrote to Anna while she was in 
New York, and gave her such advice as I thought might be beneficial 
to her on the passage, and in England, and particularly cautioned her 
against too close intimacy, in which the natural part was apt to be 
caught, and true vision obstructed. * * * Friends here are gener- 
ally well. Seeing Peter Collins in town this morning, I thought I 
would salute thee as a brother in exercise for the welfare of the Church. 
Thy affectionate friend, Stephen Gould. 



FROM J. W. TO MARY DAVIS. 

Hopkinton, 1st of 1st mo., 1836. 

MY DEAK FRIEND MARY DAVIS, 

The various and very peculiar trials and afflictions which have fallen 
to the line of thy experience, and to that of thy dear husband, have truly 
induced many brotherly feelings of sympathy and commiseration in 
my mind ; and so far as I have been capable I have craved your pres- 
ervation and support, through all the enmity and bufferings of Satan. 
Oh ! how the cruel enemy strives to beguile and to destroy the disci- 
ples of a crucified Lord — to sift them as wheat ; but how consoling and 
strengthening the Lord's intercessions for Peter : " I have prayed for 
thee that thy faith fail not." And certainly, my dear Mary, He whose 
mercies fail not, but are new every morning, will not leave thee, nor 
forsake thee in the day of trouble and anguish of spirit, which he has 
suffered to overshadow thee, as the clouds overshadow the earth ; for 
as thy trust is in him, and thy cries are mightily lifted up, his ear is open 
to hear, and he will break through the clouds and melt them away. 
He will fill thy dwelling with his radiance, peace and love. He will 
encamp round about thee by the angel of his presence, and cause thy 
enemies to be at peace with thee, as a glorious reward for a faithful 



LETTER TO MARY DAVIS, AND FROM SARAH TUCKER. 209 

endurance of hardness as a good soldier, and an ample remuneration 
for days and months, nay, even years of the keenest anguish. Well, 
my dear friend, I rejoice not that sore tribulations have fallen to thy 
lot, (or I might say to your lot, for I believe that Seth has had his part 
with thee,) but I rejoice in believing that the grace of God is sufficient 
for you, is sufficient in the greatest of straits and deepest of wadings : 
sometimes in standing still, (as at his command) we shall see his salva- 
tion ; and sometimes in turning the battle to the gate, his strength will 
be our crown and victory. 

And again, though I have sorrowed in your sorrows, yet I do rejoice 
that such as you succeeded E. and L. [in charge of the boarding-school 
at Providence] for certainly, if persons of the new views had taken the 
superintendency, the consequences would have been (in my apprehen- 
sion) truly forlorn. And inasmuch as I entertain some fears in rela- 
tion to thy health, and the endurance of thy patience in so painful and 
arduous a service, I still feel many forebodings as to the continued 
usefulness and safety of that institution ; for when you leave, if the 
present influence continue, persons of a different cast will undoubtedly 
be sought for to fill your place. And whether we shall be able with 
such influence in the committee, even with you, or any other sound 
Friends at the head of the family to preserve the school from gross 
defection in principle, is at best very doubtful ; and I presume there is 
no section anywhere in the Yearly Meeting, where the dissemination 
of unsound principles would so much contribute to destroy Quakerism 
in New England. It is indeed a day of great fearfulness and much 
trembling for the safety of the ark of our testimonies, lest the enemies 
of our Israel should overcome, and the ark of God be taken. Should 
such unhappily be the case, then judgment will certainly rest upon the 
house of Eli, or those whose sins may be the cause of such reproach in 
Israel. 

Farewell my dear friend, and may He on whom help is laid be near, 
yea be with thee and thy dear husband, and keep and comfort you with 
the sweet incomes of his goodness, and stablish you upon the immutable 
foundation ; — and remember in your most tried moments, that you have 
a friend who loves you, and hopes that your prayers and his will con- 
tinue to be mutual. John Wilbur. 



FROM SARAH TUCKER. 

Dartmouth, 1st mo., 19th, 1836. 

MY DEAK FRIEND, 

I acknowledge there may have been some cause for thee to suspect 
that we were grown rather cool and indifferent, in regard to answering 
18* 



210 JOUENAL OF JOHN WILBUE. 

thy communications, as some time has elapsed since we wrote. But 
can assure thee it is not so, for thy letters were truly acceptable, inter- 
esting and comforting to our poor minds, and would long ago have been 
replied to by me, if I had thought that anything I could write would 
have been worthy of thy perusal. I have been, much of the time, 
confined in consequence of ill-health, and sometimes felt so poor and 
destitute of right materials for profitable writing, that I have scarcely 
dared to attempt such a thing. Yet I have often remembered thee, 
and now feeling, as I apprehend, a little of that love which unites the 
hearts of poor pilgrims, who are laboring and travailing, in spirit, to 
obtain a better and more enduring inheritance— who through faith and 
patience are striving and wrestling, even as it were in the night sea- 
son, for the blessing, the new name and the white stone — am willing 
again to resume my pen, hoping that it may at least serve as a fresh 
token of our unfeigned friendship and fellowship with thee in the gos- 
pel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And I pray that this may 
continue forever on that ground, whereby we shall be enabled always, 
whether present or absent, to be one another's helpers, yea, joy and 
rejoicing in the Lord. 

Although I do not go much abroad, and am much secluded from my 
friends — particularly so this winter — that I get but little information 
how the times are ; yet it seems to me that it is rather a low, poor time 
in the general, and this poverty I fear is not the worst ; is it not a 
season of distress, of great perplexity, of darkness, and of treading 
down, a day in which we are called to mourning and lamentation ! 
and in which the priests, the Lord's ministers, have to weep, as between 
the porch and the altar, saying, " Spare thy people, Lord, and give 
not thine heritage to reproach ? " Such, indeed, are my feelings, but 
most gladly would I be informed that I am altogether mistaken. But, 
notwithstanding, my dear friend, I do feel, at seasons, some encourage- 
ment ; a little light now and then breaks forth, by which it is clearly 
seen that all those who adhere to good old Joshua's resolution, let others 
do as they may, they will serve the Lord, and that in his own way, 
(which is the way of the Cross,) and not in the will and wisdom of the 
natural man ; will be preserved, although sharp may be their conflicts, 
and deep their baptisms. Yet He who knoweth those who are his, 
who beholdeth purity of intention and cleanness of heart with Divine 
approbation, will not suffer a hair of their head to be hurt ; so that 
amidst all the commotions, the jars and the rents, the ups and the 
downs, within our borders, I humbly trust and believe that a precious 
remnant will escape, whose lives will be given them for a prey. ! 
that thou mayst not feint or give back in the day of battle, when called 
upon to stand for the faith, even that precious faith which was once 



LETTER FROM SARAH TUCKER AND REPLY TO SAME. 211 

delivered to the saints. I believe thou hast nobly stood therefor, and that 
thou wilt continue to do so, whatever thou mayst suffer ; and it seemed 
as if I might just offer thee a word of encouragement, as I feel it to 
arise at this time, although I know I am addressing one whose experi- 
ence in all those things doth far, very far, exceed my own. Thou art 
not alone, I can assure thee, in thy tribulated path ; I believe there are 
not a few who are in the same way, who go bowed down all the day 
long, whose hearts are pained within them, who are dismayed at 
the seeing and hearing of those things which are floating within the 
borders of our once highly favored Society. Indeed, is not this the 
language of some of the little remnant, " Oh ! that mine head were 
waters and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and 
night for the slain of the daughter of my people ? " In my retired mo- 
ments my heart is sometimes raised in desire and humble prayer to the 
God and Father of all our sure mercies for the prosperity of the true 
Church, that her broken walls may be repaired and her desolated gates 
again set up, her stakes strengthened and her cords lengthened — that 
she may yet break forth, both on the right hand and on the left, and 
may yet shake herself from every defilement, and thus become an eter- 
nal excellency, the joy of the whole earth ! * * * * 

Sarah Tucker. 



FROM J. W. TO SARAH TUCKER. 

Providence, 5th mo., 6th, 1836. 

Thy last salutation, my dear friend, was received in due season, and 
was truly cordial to my mind, bringing with it a savory evidence of 
that which unites in one and makes glad the hearts of those who love 
the blessed appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ ; and by this renewed 
evidence and assurance I feel no reserve at all in writing freely to thee, 
as to a sister beloved, in the bonds of gospel love and fellowship, in 
Him who hath in his tender mercies favored us to drink together of the 
one spirit. 

I have read thy letter again and again, and I can assure thee that as 
oft as I have read it I have been refreshed and comforted ; and now, 
while writing, I am made to feel thankful to the God and Father of all 
our sure mercies that there are here and there to be found those who are 
travelling and laboring together, in the spirit of their minds, for the 
safety of the Lord's people, and for the keeping of his testimonies. My 
desire and prayer for this precious few, is, that they may not only 
receive their daily supplies of strength from the everlasting and inex- 
haustible Fountain of life and power, but by " often speaking one to 



212 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

another," and communing one with another, as well secretly as expres- 
sively, they may be a strength one to another. And I do account it a 
great favor that personal separation and distance in the world cannot 
deprive these of such sweet communion ; they are often led by the 
same blessed Hand, sometimes to the test of their faith, in the deep 
waters of Jordan, and sometimes to a full confirmation of it by marvel- 
lous deliverances. These become thereby qualified, in the living 
experience of God's providences, to be helpful in " building one an- 
other up in the most holy faith." "Well, then, my beloved sister and 
fellow-traveller, let us avail ourselves of his mercies in permitting 
us to joy in one another's joys, as well as to sorrow in one another's 
sorrows. 

And although more constantly watching over ourselves, and engaged 
in intercessions for our own preservation, yet these exercises are some- 
times swallowed up in the greater concern for the keeping and spreading 
of the testimonies of Truth, and the preservation of the Lord's people 
everywhere. ******* 

I remain thy friend and brother, 

John Wilbur. 



FROM STEPHEN GOULD TO J. W. 

Newport, 4th mo., 1836. 

MY DEAR FRIEND JOHN WILBUR, 

Thine of the 26th ult. did not reach me until the 4th inst. It was 
very acceptable, and I can respond sincerely to thy feelings on account 
of the state of our Society, both in Europe and America. It is, indeed, 
" Watchman ! what of the night ? " and I believe it is somewhere said 
in Scripture, " What of the day ? " for both our night and our day are 
gloomy and appalling. But it does not seem as if it will quite answer 
to give up and let all go by the board. ****** 

I have received probably all the information from England that 
thou hast. Lately has come to hand a parcel and a pretty long letter 
from T. T. Among the things sent was the printed Report of the 
Yearly Meeting's Committee to the Monthly Meeting. On reading 
it I was reminded of old Robert Knowles, who, when a person told 
him that " he was an unaccountable original," went home and told the 
family that " a man had said something about him which he could not 
decide to be for him or against him." On reading the forepart of this 
report, it looked much as if it was right and decided ; but was exceed- 
ingly neutralized at the close. In the parcel is also Richard Ball's 
wicked book, entitled " Holy Scripture the Test of Truth," which is all 
plain and flat in the face of Barclay, Penn, and Hancock. I learn that 



LETTERS FROM STEPHEN GOULD. 213 

John Wilkinson, at a meeting at Tottenham, lately, said, " Let not those 
who believe in an inward light, think they believe in Christ, for every 
infidel believes in an inward light." T. Shillitoe followed him and said, 
" If there is not an inward light with which I have been acquainted 
these sixty years, I am now, when on the brink of the grave, in a most 
deplorable condition " — and then proceeded in a very good and appro- 
priate testimony. Soon after, he was at another meeting where J. Wil- 
kinson advocated the propriety of judicial oaths, and was spoken to by 
a woman Friend, who told him she was sorry to have the meeting dis- 
turbed with such remarks, and requested him to desist, which he did not 
do, and another Friend repeated the request for him to sit down, which 
he did ; and at the next Monthly Meeting that occurred he and his wife 
requested to be dismissed from the Society. ****** 

I have not thought of going to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, but if 
thou hast a mind to go thou hast my unity in so doing, and hope thou 
wilt attend to it. ***** * 
Affectionately, 

Stephen Gould. 



FROM STEPHEN GOULD TO J. W. 

Newport, 12th mo., 24th, 1836. 

DEAR FRIEND JOHN WILBUR, 

It is now sometime since I saw thee or heard from thee, and, 
now in the opening, the prospect is not very large of communication ; 
arising much from the apprehension that thy friends in England freely 
communicate with thee on the state of things with them. My let- 
ters from there have been quite frequent of late, and it looks to me 
that another Yearly Meeting there must result in a separation, though 
it is said the " Evangelical Friends," as they call themselves, are 
agreed in nothing among themselves, excepting to remain with Friends 
and give them as much trouble as they possibly can. Those who 
have resorted to the weak and beggarly elements, still remain with 
the Society and attend meetings for business ; and in Kendal, the 
Assistant Clerk of the Quarterly Meeting, though of this description, 
continues to keep his seat at the table, yet the resignation of Anna 
Braithwaite's daughter, after being some time withheld, has been ac- 
cepted by the meeting. 

Elisha Bates has published his reasons for being baptized, as he calls 
it, in a very simple mode, by Dr. Smith, at Homerton, in or near Lon- 
don ; that is, he was sprinkled, and considers he never received 
Christian baptism until this was done. His reasons are published in 
a pamphlet, which I have, and should not desire anything better to 



214 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

refute him than his own words, contained in his " Doctrines " under the 
head " Baptism, &c," which is now being republished in the " Friend ;" 
and it seems to me it will not be very palatable to him to eat 
his own words. In his " Reasons," &c, his weakness and his nakedness 
and the shame of his nakedness most strikingly appear. It seems 
to me a good writer might expose him to his great discomfiture, 
although he has displayed much ingenuity and adroitness, and also 
assumed much humility of himself and concern for the Society, for 
which he says his love has much increased. But not doubting the 
same may have reached thee, I shall say no more about him, save that 
we learn he has arrived in this country. In New York he stayed but 
a short time ; he was invited to dine at Samuel "Wood's, by his sons. 
While there he manifested much uneasiness or agitation of mind. In 
Philadelphia, he stayed but about three hours, and I do not learn 
that he spoke with any Friend while there. I have heard that some 
prominent individuals at Mt. Pleasant have renounced him since his 
baptism — Benjamin Wright, in particular ; but there are some others 
in that neighborhood who are, I fear, as wild as himself, and there is 
no knowing to what lengths they will go. 

I have lately had a good letter from Joshua Lynch, and another from 
dear old John Heald, but both letters were previous to Elisha's arrival 
in this country. They are both alive and aware of the dangers which 
await our poor and distressed Society. John's letter was peculiarly 
sweet and acceptable, as from his age and many infirmities I never 
expected again to have seen the traces of his pen. 

The Yearly Meeting's Committee have recommended the case of 
Isaac Crewdson to the care of his Monthly Meeting, and he now stands 
on their minutes as an offender. William Forster and J. J. Gurney 
were with the committee when this was done. It would seem as if 
there is sufficient strength in Hardshaw East to effect his disownment, 
and it is said J. J. G. was very pointed and decided in his expressions 
in support of the order and doctrines of the Society, when attending 
that Monthly Meeting with the Yearly Meeting's Committee ; but he 
must do something as E. Bates is doing before I can have full confi- 
dence in his pretensions to soundness ; that is, he must unwrite some 
things which he has written ; and I have not failed to apprise Thomas 
Thompson that such are my ideas respecting J. J. G., though I appre- 
hend he is alarmed, and finds that he has let down so many bars that 
things have run to much greater length than he was aware. But the 
fact is that the present state of things in England is the legitimate fruit 
of many of his publications. 

I attended the last Quarterly Meeting at New Bedford ; it was, on 
the whole, a pretty good time, and I was favored to be a little more 



LETTER FROM SARAH TUCKER. 215 

faithful than I was in a Select Meeting thou and I sat in there together ; 
in short, some general and a good deal of individual labor fell to my 
lot, which I thought it my place to extend, as one of the committee 
from the Select Meeting, for the purpose. On the whole I thought the 
brethren there were disposed to do very near right ; but some were far 
from being apprised of the length things had run in England, and of 
the danger of their running in this country. Friends there seemed 
glad to see me, and I did not feel that I had left any bad savor behind 
me. In the public meeting Mary Battey was highly favored, and my 
spirit rejoiced in her exercises. Lindley M. Hoag was there, and some 
part of his testimony was good ; but one part of it caused me some 
doubt and suffering, for in the first part of it he clearly made the Scrip- 
tures to be the only means of salvation, though in the latter part he han- 
dled spirituality so well that it was covered with what might be called 
a good plaster ; but the first ought not to have been. I had not a 
chance to speak to him on the subject, which I regret. 

In the last meeting there was not much business of note, but I was 
glad to find thy visit with Benjamin Buffinton was spoken of in the 
accounts in very acceptable terms, particularly the Monthly Meetings 
of Nantucket and Sandwich, and verbal accounts from another or two, 
but it is not now in my recollection whether returning minutes were 
made. On the whole, it was a pretty good Quarterly Meeting, and 
I was glad I was there. Thomas and Lydia Ann Gould were there 
also. 

Thou hast or will hear of the decease of D. Brayton and John Buf- 
finton, before this reaches thee. I have this morning seen Thomas and 
Henry Gould, at their mills ; they were both well and the family also. 
Father and Mother Rodman and Friends generally are in usual health. 
If thou hast any further intelligence from England do let me have it. 
My last date was 10th mo., 8th, 1836. I should be glad to be remem- 
bered to thy sister, the widow of Abel Collins, and her family. My wife 
unites in love to thee and thine, and I remain 

Thy affectionate friend, 

Stephen Gould. 



FROM SARAH TUCKER TO J. W. 

Dartmouth, 1st mo., 1st, 1837. 



DEAR FRIEND, 



Some little time has elapsed since the reception of thy kind and af- 
fectionate letter which was very acceptable. It is always cordial to hear 
from and to know we are had in remembrance of those whom we love, 



216 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

in the Truth, and for the Truth's sake, and perhaps the more so to me 
at this time, as I have now been confined for a number of weeks to 
the house, and mostly to my room, thus deprived of seeing many 
friends ; at these seasons, such testimonials of gospel affection are indeed 
precious. 

M. and B. Purinton, in the course of their visit this way, called and 
tarried a night with us. I was glad to see them ; they seemed to be 
quite encouraged respecting some individuals, in and about Providence, 
of whom we have had the greatest fears. I hope they may not be 
deceived. 

No doubt thou heard that L. M. H., attended our Quarterly Meeting, 
and expected to visit in yours. I hope he may not receive harm. But 

! the dangers that await us on every hand ! What need — what great 
need of a strict attention to the sacred injunction of our blessed Lord : 
" What I say unto you I say unto all, watch" Ah, herein alone is our 
safety — a continual watching, even unto prayer, lest we enter into 
temptation — that thus we may be preserved from the snares and baits 
of the subtle twining serpent, who I believe never was more busy ; and 
of a truth his insinuations are but too successful, with the unwatchful 
and unwary ; for with his tail he hath drawn down (hath he not ?) 
stars of the first magnitude. Such, I have been ready to fear, were 
not satisfied with moving in that orbit which infinite wisdom allotted 
them, but aspiring to rise still higher, how have they fallen far below ; 
yea, how are the mighty fallen, and become as wandering stars, having 
no sure abiding place on the immutable Rock, but are left to wander on 
the barren mountains and desolate hills, where there is neither rain nor 
dew, nor fields of offering — unhappy mortals ! whose situation is greatly 
to be lamented and deplored. But they have made their own choice, 
and we must leave them to partake of the fruit of their own procuring. 

1 notice thy remarks on a state of poverty with which I cordially unite, 
having long since been satisfied that great is the advantage resulting 
therefrom, to us poor frail finite creatures ; and that it is in infinite wis- 
dom and mercy that those seasons of stripping and reduction are meeted 
out to us. Thou knowest as well as I, my dear friend, how much bet- 
ter it is to be of the number of the poor in spirit, than of the proud in 
heart — seeing the Lord is nigh unto the poor and needy, that are ready 
to faint by the way, who have no strength to rely on, but his eternal 
arm — to these he giveth power, and supplyeth them with his own 
strength. I have often said in the secret of my heart, (I humbly trust 
from a living sense of the abundant mercy of our Heavenly Father, in 
thus wisely dealing with us,) O ! Lord, keep me always poor and 
begging, even sensible of my own frailty and weakness, keep me 
watchful and dependent on thee for every blessing, and here may we 



LETTER FROM SARAH TUCKER. 217 

always be found, because we do know that this keeps us near the Foun- 
tain of divine life, in whom are all our fresh springs. 

I have often recurred to thy late visit amongst us with satisfaction • 
for it rarely happens (I think thou wilt admit) in these days, that 
we can meet with those with whom we can commune and interchange 
our views and ideas on subjects which ought greatly to interest the 
rightly concerned in our Society, without a feeling which obstructs our 
open and free intercourse. But I believe thou wert sensible that 
a goodly number hereaway were prepared to hail thee as a servant 
of the Lord, aiming to keep his covenant, even the new covenant of 
the everlasting gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ — and who 
could, and some of whom did secretly bid thee God speed — so that how- 
ever there may be seasons in which thou mayst feel poor and empty, 
be encouraged to hold thyself in all readiness, that when the command 
goes forth to lift up thy voice as a trumpet, to declare unto Jacob his 
transgressions and to Israel his sins, prompt obedience may be thine ; 
remembering as a stimulus that " he that watereth, shall himself be 
watered." 

Sad and deplorable as is the state of things and of individuals in 
England and on this continent, it is nevertheless interesting to know 
how they progress ; and for thy kindness in furnishing now and then 
some little account, .we feel much obliged. I hope thou wilt continue 
to favor us with such information as thou mayest deem prudent. 

What those Friends who have endeavored to hold up the hands of E. 
Bates will now say, or can say, respecting his soundness in the princi- 
ples of friends, I know not — will they still plead for Baal, or will they 
return and look unto Abraham, our father, and to the hole of the pit 
whence they were digged ?******! n0 p e thou wilt often 
think upon and remember me when it is well with thee — my situation 
is one that is conducive to low times — but I endeavor to keep near to 
Him who is my sure comforter, and as much as in me lies to wear a 
cheerful countenance ; but there is much to depress and to weigh down 
the spirit ; added to this is my extreme weakness of body, which at times 
seems as much as I can well bear — yet after all, there are seasons in 
which I feel raised above all these things. O ! when the smallest 
token is given of divine regard, and a little evidence is felt that under- 
neath is the everlasting Arm ; yea, to know that my Redeemer lives, 
it is enough, I ask for nothing more. Oh, my dear friend, I am not 
boasting ; for truly and feelingly I know that unto me belongeth shame, 
blushing, and confusion of face. But unto the blessed author and fin- 
isher of our faith, be forever ascribed all praise, might, majesty, and 
power, who hath loved us and washed us in his own most precious 
blood ! * * * * With desires for our mutual preservation out of 
19 



218 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

all the dangers and snares that may await us through this vale of tears, 
sorrow, and temptation, I conclude in much love to thee and thy dear 
wife, in which my dear husband unites, and remain, 

Thy sincere friend, 

Sarah Tucker. 



FROM J. TV. TO SARAH TUCKER. 

Hopkinton, 1st mo., 27th, 1837. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

Although much time is not allotted me at present to make returns 
for thy late favor, yet I feel bound, in a few words, to acknowledge the 
satisfaction which I felt in reading and re-reading thy salutary and truly 
instructive letter, and can say, that I believe I comprehend every part 
of it, and trust it is one of those experimental and lively epistles by 
which I have been so often instructed and profited. Some of thy re- 
marks upon thy own experience, do remarkably answer to mine, as face 
to face in a glass ; and herein confirmation and instruction has been 
vouchsafed at a time when I had been almost ready to faint by the 
way, having often felt as though I had never a friend in the world, nor 
yet above the world ; and it was under such feelings that thy very un- 
expected, yet truly welcome letter arrived, and brought with it a pre- 
cious portion of sisterly feeling and sisterly fellowship, with the assurance 
that I was not alone in daily necessities and daily begging for a morsel 
of bread. Well, my dear friend, I desire to be bowed in humble thank- 
fulness for every crumb of heavenly nourishment, when a very little 
seems like a feast ; for so it is when there is a famine in the land. And 
oh ! I am ready to fear that I am not humble enough, and thankful 
enough, and watchful enough, when favored with the riches of the Re- 
deemer's love, in the service of Truth, as well as the sweet society of 
brethren and sisters almost as dear as life itself. I hope to be favored, 
if consistent with the Divine will, to moderate my joy, as well as my 
sorrow, as it is probable that wisdom would lead to a more even tem- 
perament of mind than I have yet been favored to attain ; however, I 
hope never to be insensible to the abundant and unmerited mercy of 
God our Saviour, nor yet to the tender sympathy and fellowship of 
my dear friends, for these I count to be all that makes it life to live, — 
because faithful obedience is certainly included as a requisite in such 
experience and favor. I feel entirely safe, my dear and valued friend, 
in thus freely opening my mind to thee, knowing well to whom I am 
writing, and trusting, that in the freedom and fellowship of that gospel 
which we have both been desiring and endeavoring to promote, that 
thou wilt feel thyself entirely at liberty to unfold thy views in relation 



EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM S. GRUBB TO A. CONING. 219 

to thy own religious experience, as well as to give counsel to a brother, 
who knows that his own safety much depends upon watching unto 
prayer, and in having a place in his own mind for the counsel of 
dear friends. The purposes of social order are great and exceedingly 
interesting. * * * Oh! how imperious the necessity to sit low 
with the brethren, and not to seek for great things ; for he that desireth 
to be above his brethren, is sure to fall into a snare. ***** 
Very affectionately thy friend, 

John Wilbur. 

Extract from a letter from Sarah [Lynes] Grubb to Ann 
Coning, transmitted by the latter to John Wilbur, dated 24th 
of 6th mo., 1837. 

" I fully concur in the belief mentioned by dear John Wilbur, as being 
that of some valuable Friends in America, that the disaffection in this 
country grew out of the unsound writings of the Friend in question, 
and, I would add, the unsound preaching, the much speaking on the 
knees, and the great lecturing, as well as more private engagements. 
It is well understood, that J. J. Gurney had little doubt, that by 
entreaty in his own way, he could prevail upon the Beaconites to re- 
main with Friends as members, but finding his efforts fail, and not 
being satisfied to go all the way with them, he chose openly to dissent 
from them, and bear all the aspersions thrown on him from that quar- 
ter, which seems to have procured him the warm approval of those who 
last year could not have evinced the same feeling. I confess, that nothing 
short of an acknowledgment of error, and deep sorrow for the past, 
though done with good intention, appears to me to be sufficient to satisfy 
my tried mind, with respect to one so influential, and whose sentiments 
on things of great importance to us as a body, are published to the 
nations. The ministry of this Friend of late, is much approved by 
most, as perfectly orthodox, but are his views really changed? I doubt 
it ; and if they are, would it not seem likely to be right to wait a little 
in deep abasedness, until it could be known that such is the case? 
What occasions me the most sorrow, is that in this day of sifting 
as from sieve to sieve, we have, in a Society capacity, retarded the 
great work, and owned much which the great Lord of the heritage has 
appointed to be winnowed away. 0, the consideration hereof weighs 
down my spirit, and because there appears at present no remedy, my 
soul weeps in secret places, and I go mourning all the day long ; yet 
there is at times a humble, but sure hope, that there will be a discern- 
ing more clearly between thing and thing, between the covering which 
is not of God's spirit, and that which he prepares and grants to those 



220 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

who are truly watchful. Not knowing how far it might be best to com- 
municate any part of thy letter, or the extracts from J. W.'s, I left it at 
home, but may mention, that Ann Jones was a good deal troubled 
about the American concern, to which she spoke in the Meeting for 
Ministers and Elders, and would have been glad if it had been given 
up for the present. Most likely thou hast written to John Wilbur. 
How exactly he and ourselves see eye to eye ! Well, it is a comfort 
that some are prepared to do so." * * * * 

FROM LTDIA A. BARCLAY TO J. W. 

Croydon, near London, 28th of 6th mo., 1837. 

MY DEAR AND VALUED FRIEND, 

Thy last valuable communication, dated 3d mo., was forwarded to 
me at Dublin, whither I had gone to attend the Yearly Meeting ; it 
was truly strengthening and confirming to me, and how sweet to be 
permitted to feel, that though the mighty ocean swells and foams be- 
tween us, yet that it cannot hinder the feeling of a sweet unity, and the 
flowing of a precious love to and fro between kindred spirits on your 
shores and ours. Oh ! it is indeed a favor I feel unworthy to partake 
of, though I dare not disallow it, and desire to be preserved from for- 
feiting ! The subject of a part of thy letter was very remarkable to 
me, as thou wast ignorant, outwardly, of how we were likely to be 
tried this Yearly Meeting by the laying before us of J. J. G.'s concern 
to visit America. Oh ! it was indeed a painful meeting ; I never sat the 
like ! Oh ! my dear friend, there are too many superficial ones amongst 
us, that look too much on outward show and appearance, and so are 
deceived. Most of our principal Friends (in the true weight and 
deepness of judgment), such as S. Grubb, G. and A. Jones, Jacob 
Green, William Gundry, and others, spoke against his being liberated 
at this time, S. G. very strikingly, and my heart fully united with it ; 
she reminded us of the restraining as well as constraining influences of 
the Spirit, instancing in the Apostles' days what is recorded in the Acts, 
and said that she believed in the present case " the Spirit suffered it 
not ," that our dear friend wanted further purification from the mix- 
ture, &c. There were a number more of the diffident ones, who, I 
believe, were entirely of this mind, but held their peace. But it was 
all overruled by such as were connected or partial, also such as (I 
trust it is not improper for me to say) are blinded by his adopting and 
preaching ancient views. Some spoke in an awfully painful way, 
attributing dear S. G.'s view to the serpentine wisdom and the under- 
standing of the prudent, and one returned thanks at the conclusion that 
it had been confounded and brought to nought ! Ah ! my dear friend, 



LETTEK FROM LYDIA A. BAECLAY. 221 

many of us are greatly pained by his liberation ; we feel it is a sanc- 
tion of his books and lectures, as well as ministry and conduct, and to 
the injury of the precious cause. I fully unite with what thou says 
of his books. I have been watching the rise and spreading of these 
views these ten years past, and have felt inwardly clothed with sack- 
cloth because thereof. But much as I deplore the holding back of 
many cautious ones in the above meeting, I am inclined to hope with 
my brother John that it will be overruled for good by Him who can do 
mighty things for his poor oppressed ones, and make a way of relief 
where they can see none. John seems to be surprised or dismayed at 
no evil things amongst us, but marks with calmness and confiding hope 
the gradual development of the man of sin. To return to J. J. G. — I 
hope you will be strengthened to be faithful to your feelings towards 
him, for the honor of the cause and for our help here ! * * * * 
Oh ! is it not the case that the cunning and cruel adversary finds that 
Beaconism will no longer serve his turn now, so he sets up another 
image, still more beautiful, and paints it to the very life, and calls all to 
fall down and worship it, to the sound of outward sweetness and har- 
mony ? Oh ! that the weak little ones may be enabled to see the 
lifeless image through all the paint, that we may shut our ears against 
the melody, and may be strengthened to stand firm to our God, however 
the furnace of affliction may be heated as it were sevenfold ! It is 
very striking to me that a number of the younger sort see through all 
these beautiful things ; they can taste where there is life or where it is 
a picture ; whereas most of those we look on as fathers and mothers can- 
not; they salve all over with love and not judging. I expect it is to 
humble us and prove us still more, that we may lean on none, and that 
many more of such will fall away, so that the remnant will be small, 
that a child may number them. One seems to long for the good 
meetings again as in ancient days ; and when we are thoroughly 
purified and reduced, I can but think with dear S. Grubb, that there 
will be a flocking to us as doves to the windows, to the name of the 
Lord which shall be written upon us, and for the enjoyment of his 
presence, which shall be in us and with us. Edward Ash's book ap- 
pears to some of us a specious and unsound thing, professing to stand 
up for our ancient Friends, but really lessening them. My brother 
Rawlinson has opposed its large second edition in the Meeting for Suf- 
ferings, and, in consequence, had an interview with E. A. upon it ; but 
it was a very painful time, only showing more clearly his unsoundness. 
The Morning Meeting approved of the first edition. ***** 
***** Well, dear friend, do breathe for the help of the poor 
little panting ones as thou art enabled ; and I shall, I know, think and 
feel greatly for you across the ocean, under coming circumstances. 
19* 



222 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

Wilt thou write to me a little on this subject, if thou art free, without 
waiting a whole year ? My mind felt much with thee just about the 
time thou wast writing to me. Thou had a clear sense of what is 
passing here, but oh ! how it would pain thee to see to the full ! The 
Lord help the poor weak children, preserve them patient in suffering 
and in deep humility before him, saith my soul ! And Oh ! that we 
may be strengthened to be faithful to him, for truly it is a most dis- 
maying time ! 

Farewell, very affectionately. 
From thy truly sympathizing and nearly united friend, 

Lydia A. Barclay. 

FROM J. W. TO W. AND M. HAZARD. 

Hopkinton, 6th mo., 28th, 1837. 

MY DEAR CHILDREN, 

Having been repeatedly admonished and instructed in regard to the 
uncertainty of the very best of our earthly possessions and enjoyments ; 
and how subject we are to be separated one from another for time ; one 
thing have I greatly desired, and do still crave, for our little band, even 
for every one of those who call us " father" and " mother," including, 
too, both father and mother, that such may be our condition, in the re- 
lation in which we stand with the Father of Spirits, that however we 
may be separated in time, and some leave before others, nevertheless, 
that the whole little company may again be joyfully collected, though 
it may be one by one, and united in a state unchangeable and full of 
glory, when death shall be swallowed up in victory, and shall never 
be able to break our ranks again. How unspeakably excellent, then, 
that we be all fully reconciled to Him who rules and reigns in the king- 
dom of his own glory, and to all his ways and providences. However 
nearly we may be connected with, and possessed of a part not durable or 
redeemable, but perishable ; let us look through the veil of these fleshly 
tabernacles, and regard that which perisheth not, but which is eternal, 
and the paramount object of all that has been done through the cove- 
nant of a Redeemer. May the whole of that covenant, then, my dear 
children, be availed of, both by us and by you, in all which it has done 
for us without us, and is proffering to us and doing for us within us, 
through an unshaken faith in his power, and the rewards of obedience. 
But how shall I, my dear children, submit to give you the information 
(if not received before) of the severe sickness and removal from us of 
our dear Lydia ! Precious child ! her Heavenly Parent has seen meet 
to take her from her earthly parents, and, as we trust, to himself and 
into his own kingdom ; from her brothers and sisters here, to his family 
in heaven ; and but for the ties and tenderness of nature, though 



LETTER TO HIS DAUGHTER. 223 

unspeakable our loss, we could not weep. Her breathing was very 
laborious for the last ten or twelve hours, but her mind and recollection 
were strong and unimpaired to the last. She exhibited precious evi- 
dence of her readiness and preparation for the event, having been 
impressed from the first that her time was come. She was full of love, 
and sent a message of it to all her absent brothers and sisters, and to 
everybody — said she was ready to go — took solemn leave of every one 
present by the salutation of a kiss — and exhorted the children present 
to greater faithfulness. She finally passed away as one falling into a 
sweet sleep, without the least struggle ; for, truly, it did appear that 
death had lost its sting, and had no terrors for her. ***** 

Your parent, |John Wilbur. 

FROM J. W. TO HIS DAUGHTER PHEBE FOSTER. 

Hopkinton, 8th mo., 1837. 

MY DEAR DAUGHTER, 

Thy letter, forwarded by , was truly interesting and comfortable 

to us, both in relation to thy late dear sister, and your own trials and 
consolations, and I did rejoice in the peace and comfort which resulted 
from the testimony of our friend ; and, as in your tribulations, so in 
your joys, I think I am prepared to take a part with you, and since 

's arrival I have feared that an excess of trouble has contributed 

to thy present sickness, my precious child, and a living desire arises 
that all may work together for good to thee, and trust that it will prove 
so, as I know thou lovest the Lord Jesus Christ, and may therefore 
safely and confidently commit thyself unreservedly to his tender care 
and holy keeping; for though he suffers us to pass through great 
tribulations, yet the mark for the prize of our high calling of God in 
Christ Jesus, is the keeping of the word of his patience, in faith and 
resignation to all, and so become the happy and distinguished receivers 
of his gracious promises, unfailing to those who willingly wade through 
great tribulations ; whereby their robes are washed and made white in 
the blood of the Lamb — the life and power of the Lamb. Such, my 
dear child, is the chief of all my desires, both for parents and children ; 
and at this time is my sympathy and tender love more especially 
awakened and drawn out towards thee, with breathing desires and 
prayers that the God of all our sure mercies will be pleased, in the 
abounding thereof, to replenish thy heart with his love and goodness, 
with his blessed presence, which is life and peace, and never fails to 
make hard things easy and bitter things sweet ; and I believe he will 
sanctify all and crown all of thy afflictions, and make them productive 
of an exceeding and eternal weight of glory. * * * * In that which 
never fails, my dear child, I am thine, John Wilbur. 



224 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 



FROM JOHN BARCLAY TO J. W. 

Hastings, in Sussex, 8th mo., 1837. 

MY VERY NEAR, THOUGH FAR DISTANT FRIEND, JOHN WILBUR, 

Thou hast been often, yea, very often, brought into sweet and pre- 
cious remembrance ; and great closeness of fellowship in that which 
never fades nor grows cold has been felt both by my beloved wife and 
myself towards thee, whenever we have thought of thee, although we 
have been wanting in the expression of it. Indeed, were we, or were 
I, to express by letter all I feel towards my dear friends, I need 
have little else to Qp ; and if thou wast to address or be addressed by 
all in this land who love and esteem thee as highly as they do and 
ought, there would be a large field of correspondence opened and to be 
kept up. But with regard to letter writing, before I proceed further, I 
must say that I feel indebted to thee for thy valued communication, 
now of so long date back as the 7th mo., 1835, and for thy frequent 
messages of love and remembrance to my dear wife and self, through 
different channels, especially in one letter addressed to my sister Lydia, 
of which I have made a copy, and have it by me. And indeed, my 
beloved friend, allow me to say, without any, the farthest wish to flat- 
ter, thy letters are not for thyself alone, or for those thou writest to ; 
it is my belief they (or else some other record of thy sentiments on the 
state and prospects of the Church of Christ) are designed for the in- 
struction, consolation, and warning of thy successors. This is my 
deliberate judgment, and I deliberately mention it ; and that I desire 
thou mayest see it thy duty to make such memoranda or arrangement 
in thy lifetime, that thy correspondents may be known and applied to. 
To some diffident minds, I know, anything of this sort may be painful, 
and what they would shrink from ; and to some weak minds such hints 
might be injurious ; but I trust thou knowest well where all thy fresh 
springs of wisdom and utterance lie, and in whom the prerogative is, 
to open or to shut ; — so much the more blamable or responsible, in my 
opinion, is such an one, if he wrap his Lord's talent comparatively in 
a napkin, and put his light under a bushel. I may tell thee, I have 
in past years even kept a memorandum of letters sent, when I could 
not well keep a copy. Now, I have relieved my mind in the above 
respect, how shall I do to set forth all I could say on our present, past, 
and probable future position, as a religious body, in this land ? I trust, 
on many points, thou art ably and fully addressed by many Friends of 
this country. I shall then only touch at things that come before me, 
and thou must give me credit for entire union with thee, and all those 
who still remain wholly on the Lord's side, and one with our ancient 



LETTEK FROM JOHN BARCLAY. 225 

Friends and valiants, even the primitive stock, who came forth in the 
powerful Name which is above every name, and unto which, every 
other name, however high and lifted up, must bow. Oh! beloved 
friend, thou that saw the first seeds and dawning of that which has 
now manifested itself in degree, knowest well enough how much of the 
same nature and root we still have, to oppress and afflict us, and of 
which it is difficult to particularize, or speak closely, in the abstract, 
without allusions to individuals who give uneasiness. The author of 
" Truth Vindicated," Henry Martin, has, by that book and the others 
he has since written, done what I consider to be, in some respects, a 
similar service to that of thyself in thy published letters ; he has opened 
up the radical causes of distinction between the early and the modern 
Friends, and their opponents. I hope thou hast seen all his publica- 
tions, especially the recent ones, continued in Letters No. 1 and No. 2, 
and a third is soon expected, which is to contain strictures on J. J. G.'s 
" Brief Remarks on Impartiality in the Interpretation of Scripture," 
&c, in which J. J. G. takes the modern and usual professor-like view 
of many texts, which may be called Quaker texts, and which we have 
appreciated and made use of differently from others. The pamphlet of 
J. J. G.'s in MS. was examined by our poor Morning Meeting, and 
declined to be passed ; it was at that time appended to J. J. G.'s lamen- 
table " Strictures on Truth Vindicated." He then privately published 
it, as we may say, that is, printed it for private circulation, not for sale ; 
and, in consequence, it was the more rare and sought for, and MS. 
copies were taken. I was not in the Morning Meeting when it was 
examined, nor did I glance at it, till a copy was forwarded anonymously 
to George Jones, while he and his wife were under our roof at Yearly 
Meeting time this year. They and many sound Friends were made 
very uneasy with it at that time ; and I do trust some did their duty 
towards the writer, but I should fear with but little effect, as in other 
instances. Thus much I thought fit to tell thee, and thou mayest doubt- 
less obtain a copy of it, by applying to thy correspondent, G. Crosfield. 
I conclude the author to be now on your side the great water, and 
therefore hope he may be more wisely dealt with than he has been 
here. Have you no Priscillas and Aquillas, to take him unto them, 
and expound matters ? I openly expressed my desire this might be the 
case, and that he might be a good Apollos is my prayer for him, if it 
be possible, and may mightily convince and convert to the good old 
way, instead of subverting it and those that are in it ! * * * * Samuel 
Rundell's pamphlet, which treats on Redemption, Worship, the Supper, 
&c, was published, I think, two years ago ; and, before he republished 
it, he wished to submit it to the Morning Meeting, and put it under my 
care ; which, through want of health and time, I handed over to my 



226 JOUENAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

dear brother A. R. Barclay, with the author's approbation ; — it was 
read in the meeting, and some matters in it were left to two or three 
Friends to confer with S. R. about ; it has now been a year, perhaps 
a year and a half, under care, and the Friends cannot agree with S. R. 
in regard to it ; he believing his views are sound and scriptural, and 
according to those of our early Friends. The objecting Friends are 
Josiah Forster and Geo. Stacey. How they will hobble over their 
difficulty, I know not. They took the sentiment of Susanna Corder 
about it, who was of their mind ; while, on the other hand, S. R. wished 
John Allen, his neighbor of Liskeard, to meet Joel Lean, Gowen Ball, 
and myself upon it. We did, and thought S. R. was right, and Josiah 
wrong. One point is, " the eating the flesh," &c, which we say is spirit- 
ual, but they say otherwise, and yet manage to steer clear of the Papists, 
as they think. We may hope this film will be removed ; but there are 
other obstacles, and I understand that J. J. G. objected, in the Morning 
Meeting, to the whole scope and tendency of the tract, as partaking of 
mysticism, &c. Edward Ash's Address to Friends has given some of 
us much uneasiness in parts ; as letting down the standard of the early 
Friends, as well as in other respects. So do some other pieces, pro- 
fessedly written to defend the Truth : they will not go the whole length 
with the early Friends. Indeed, they differ not merely from the very 
oldest and first books, but from those deliberately sanctioned by the Church 
from the first, as standard works, down to these times. Very numerous 
and various are the proofs and illustrations of this innovating, libertine 
spirit, that cannot brook the cross to their false wisdom and crude 
notions, sucked in from mixed authors of other persuasions. I have 
written some few plain, full letters, within the last two years or more, 
to Thomas Evans of Philadelphia, opening my mind as to the tenden- 
cies of our day in this land, and, in one of them, begged he would send 
or show thee — as one deeply interested in our state — what I had writ- 
ten, if he had opportunity, and excusing myself from writing to thee ; 
but his replies are loose, general, and indefinite, not responding to 
the pith and marrow of mine, nor alluding to thee at all, but only as 
to general degeneracy and a worldly spirit, &c. So that I have felt 
much of a stop in my mind to close communication with him on the 
gist of the controversy that troubles us. He once spoke of H. Martin's 
Deism, and I replied to that, strongly. And though I have letters of 
his father to Thomas Shillitoe, complaining of J. J. G.'s unsound- 
ness, yet I fear the son may be inclining to look on the hopeful, chari- 
table, or condescending side, or rather to overlook the main grounds of 
dissatisfaction. How remarkably appropriate and well-timed were thy 
letters to my dear sister Lydia, dated 4th mo., 1836, and 3d mo., 1837, 
copies of which I have by me at this place, where I am staying with 



LETTER FROM JOHN BARCLAY. 227 

my dear Mary and family, for the confirmation of my health. These 
letters we both thought fit to show to divers Friends, who with us do 
fully unite with thee. Also thine to myself, in 1835, is entirely what 
I could have myself written or signed. Dear Thomas Shillitoe's Jour- 
nal was consigned to me for publication, some time before his death. 
I undertook it because it seemed as if he could trust but few if any ; 
but it is a great job, and, in my feeble state, Friends must still have 
patience with me, for it is not yet gone to press. My line is more in 
reviving the ancient writings of early Friends. Thou hast doubtless 
seen Dewsbury's Life; I am now nearly ready with Joseph Pike's 
Journal, an elder of Cork, who was cotemporary with W. Edmundson, 
— also Joseph Oxley's Journal, who travelled to your land about 1770. 
I intend producing, if my life be spared and ability extended, " Letters 
of early Friends," having had access to large collections ; it will devel- 
ope, in plain, strong colors, the standing and movements of our worthy 
predecessors, and what spirit they were of. So that, though often laid 
by, and much prevented from travelling or exposure, and also feeling 
the spring of gospel ministry much shut up, and great oppression and 
obstruction in meetings, especially where there has been a deal of liv- 
ing on words ; my task little by little, as I am able, seems to be, to hold 
up to view what the power of Divine Life has made those who have 
gone before us, and have received the end of their faith ; and whose 
faith we are bound to follow, and to consider the end of their conversa- 
tion ; Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and forever. In this 
work I am often encouraged, not only by the rallying effects visible 
especially among the faithful, the tender and young, and not only so, 
but among the convinced, and also those true sheep that are not of our 
fold. Many there are, who have retired from all other persuasions and 
systems, and walk much alone in religion, and these often say, Friends 
are not what they once were ; that they unite with G. Fox, Barclay, 
&c, but not with modern Friends. Many hidden, precious, seeking 
characters there are, scattered up and down ; so that I have been ready 
to think the messengers will have to go more into the highways and 
hedges, and ask who is worthy, and gather them to their Teacher, and 
to sit down under his teaching, and follow their inward convictions, 
without reference to any gathered people, till they come to see there is 
a remnant — a poor and afflicted remnant, already gathered ; and then 
they may be in time prepared to flock as doves to the windows. 

It is my full belief, that all the outcry against Friends will be over- 
ruled for the good of the Church, and spread of the gospel principles 
we profess ; and I long that all who cannot see with us would honestly 
go their ways from us, and we should be the stronger, purer people, 
and take more root downward, &c. But it is a disingenuous, dark, un- 



228 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

worthy spirit that possesses them, and they seek, by remaining among 
us, gradually to unhinge and weaken us, and, if possible, to refine and 
divest us of what is intrinsic and indispensable. The best among other 
persuasions sympathize with us ; they like the old-fashioned cut of 
Quakerism, and wish us to be faithful to our principles ; but it is the 
mass of high-professing people, that are riveted to their sect and sys- 
tem, who rejoice in our divisions, and hope to gain some from us. Our 
state about London is still lamentably weak and low, sickly and de- 
crepid ; none scarcely coming forward in a bold, undeviating way, but 
crouching and cringing often ; yet I think some little ones begin to show 
themselves, and lift up their heads ; and some who stood high and bear 
rule, and have erred in vision, and whose feet had well-nigh slipped, 
the dragon having nearly swept them down with those who have 
fallen, are somewhat humbled ; at least I hope so ; but not sufficiently — 
not so as candidly to acknowledge their mistaken tendencies ; yet they 
are restrained, and draw in their horns somewhat. As to the country 
districts, there is, by what I learn or know, a goodly company, in the 
North especially, and here and there elsewhere, who more and more 
see through not only Beaconism but Gurneyism. ; and desire, however 
weakly, to contend for the faith once and still delivered, and to keep 
the faith, and hold fast what they have, and reach forth to what is pure 
and most excellent. ******** 
We are a mixed company, who must be sifted yet further ; indeed, the 
disaffection is working its way, but morbidly. 

My knee is much in the same state, no appearance of active disease ; 
but I am still on crutches, and quite reconciled to it, and thankful to be 
so comparatively hearty and well generally, though delicate and feeble. 
Our very dear love to thee, thy family circle all, as if they were named, 
and all who are dear to thee and joined to the Lord, and so of one 
spirit ; we salute all such who can receive our salutation, desiring all 
mercy, peace, strength, and salvation to be poured out upon them as 
on ourselves, now and evermore. Fare thee well, beloved friend ! and 
may the Lord Jesus stand by thee in all thy exercises, and bring thee 
through them, to his own praise and thy rejoicing. 

John Barclay. 

from' jonathan evans to j. w. 

Philadelphia, 9th mo.. 11th, 1837. 

DEAR FRIEND, JOHN WILBUR, 

I received thy letter, and am glad to find that there are some yet left, 
who are not carried away by the stream of popularity and fashionable 
opinions, which now seems threatening to overwhelm our poor, tried, re- 
ligious Society. Oh, the want of weight and depth which is strikingly 



LETTER FROM JONATHAN EVANS. 229 

evident in our meetings, both for worship and discipline. When met to 
transact the affairs of the Church, what a cringing and crouching to 
those noted for much worldly wisdom, and abundance of the riches of 
this world ; so that, indeed, the pure influence of the Spirit is seldom 
sought after or expected ; it being considered only mysticism or, at best, 
but undefined imaginary sensations, not safe to follow ; and that which 
the Lord hath determined a death upon, is kept alive, and made the 
chief agent in conducting the concerns of Society, which, if rightly 
understood, is surely the Lord's business. The conduct of the Yearly 
Meeting of Ministers and Elders in London, is really very affecting. 
This man, J. J. Gurney, because he has written much, is considered 
very learned, highly polished, and an acute reasoner ; and being very 
rich, and living in high style, is greatly caressed, and esteemed as 
almost a prodigy among us. I have perused a great deal of his writ- 
ings, and have been sorely distressed at the darkness and confusion 
which is almost inseparable from their contents. 

The Hebrew and Greek languages being very limited, one word in 
them will sometimes embrace several significations, some of which will 
be in entire contrast with others ; this he has caught at, and then made 
use of those opposite senses to vary the present translation of the 
Scriptures, and to promote his purpose in undervaluing and contradict- 
ing the solid sense and judgment of our ancient Friends, that he 
may the more readily introduce and propagate Episcopalian doctrines. 
He tries to make out that the eating of the flesh, and drinking the 
blood of Christ, means a belief in his incarnation, thus lowering down 
that deep experience and blessed fellowship in spirit with the Lord 
Jesus, in his baptisms and sufferings, to a mere assent of the human 
mind — that the gospel which is preached in, or to every human being, 
means the outward preaching of the gospel doctrines, that is, the dec- 
laration of the atonement of Christ ; that the name of Jesus does not 
signify his power, but only to ask of the Father that he would grant 
our petitions, merely because of his beloved Son, Jesus Christ ; that 
therefore we are not to look for the immediate influence of the Spirit 
as a qualification to pray, but to push forward into this offering when- 
ever we incline to it ; and many other changes he makes which I can 
call by no other name than perversions. He endeavors to make out 
that our primitive Friends were under mistaken views ; in order that 
he may, with more facility, lay waste our attachment to the doctrines 
and testimonies they held, and prepare us to embrace new schemes 
which will be more acceptable to the unregenerate man ; liberate us 
from the mortifying operation of the cross of Christ, and cause us, as 
a Society, to be more respected by the carnal, superficial professors of 
religion in the several denominations. 
20 



230 JOUKNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

Early after his arrival, the elders in this city being called together, 
he mentioned that he had a prospect of a general public meeting for 
third day evening, which several of the elders were disposed to allow 
of; this I could not feel easy with, and made my objection in his pres- 
ence ; but next morning, as he limited his design to the members only, 
they acceded to it. Having so fully expressed my disapprobation of a 
meeting, in the before-mentioned interview, I did not attend their 
second meeting, nor the public meeting. There appears to be many 
who will doubtless be caught with his politeness, his affability, and his 
seeming accordance with our religious tenets ; but before he can be re- 
ceived as a minister in unity, he ought to condemn the sentiments and 
doctrines contained in his writings, and give indubitable evidence of 
humbling submission and sincere abiding under the purifying baptism 
of the Holy Ghost, and fire, which would indeed make him humble, 
simple, and perhaps give him to see that he has never yet been so 
stripped of his own righteousness, as to be called to, and qualified for 
the work of the ministry. 

[He here inserts an extract from Thomas Shillitoe's dying 
testimony, declaring J. J. G. to be no Quaker, &c, which is 
omitted.] 

I hope Friends in New England will be on their guard against, and 
not be taken by plausible outward appearance, or the flourish of ora- 
tory, but endeavor to keep to the inward sense and feeling which the 
Holy Head of the Church will, no doubt, graciously grant to his sin- 
cere humble followers, even under the depth of close trial and beset- 
ment. There are a few here, who, as they cannot unite with his sen- 
timents and doctrines, are narrowly watched, and thus they find it 
necessary to be very cautious ; hoping that it may please the Lord, not 
only to preserve them in faithfulness, but that, in due time, he may 
make it manifest that the cause and testimony of Truth has been their 
only aim, and the fervent desire of their souls. ****** 

As J. J. G. was almost continually surrounded with company of vari- 
ous kinds, and but a very few days in the city, I believe that no private 
opportunity was taken with him. Although some of his advocates en- 
deavor to make out that his intended visit was almost unanimously 
approved in the meeting which liberated him, yet the published account 
states that the numbers on each side were nearly balanced. 

In love, I remain thy friend, 

Jonathan Evans. 



LETTER FROM MARGARET CROSFIELD. 231 



FROM MARGARET CROSFIELD TO J. W. 
DEAR FRIEND.. 

********* Liverpool, 2d mo., 23d, 1838. 

I can never forget thy acceptable labors and company amongst us ; 
thou came in a critical time, and wast the means of preserving my 
husband and me from swerving from the Truth ; we saw not the dan- 
ger until thou came, but I fear through sophistry and delusion, and 
undue confidence in some, we should have slidden off and been now 
like some once of high standing, who are now wandering from moun- 
tain to hill, unsettled from waiting on the true Teacher, and seeking 
water from broken cisterns ; anxiety and unhappiness depicted so legi- 
bly on some of their visages as to be apparent to all who see them. 
Since thou wast here, what a sea of troubles have some of us passed 
through ! and in degree do yet ; but thou knowest what a bitter sepa- 
rating spirit can produce where it gets in ; its arrows have been di- 
rected against thee, even in this land, in this house, and in my presence 
— a poor return for thy labor of love in coming as a gospel messenger 
amongst us. 

Poor Isaac and Anna ! They were high then and bitter, and are so 
still ; attempting to carry the same appearance, but they are fallen stars ; 
and the iron must often have entered their souls, seeing their children 
scattered, their two most beloved and eldest gone to the Episcopal 
Church, and two more wandering here and there ; their nearest connec- 
tions denying women's ministry, a cut more to the quick to Anna than 
all the rest. ********* 

My dear husband was not at our last Yearly Meeting. I was ; and 
as far as I am capable of judging, the Friends influential in our men's 
meeting for discipline, if they are to be judged by their doings, are not 
of the sentiments taught by George Fox, and embodied in the apology 
of Robert Barclay. Many, especially among the women are faith- 
ful in the principles believed in by early Friends, but they cannot 
make head against the others ; this was evident in the sittings of the 
Select Yearly Meeting, had it not been so, Joseph John G-urney's visit 
would have been delayed, if not set aside. The Friends who did not 
approve of it were faithful and very plain with him, which he bore 
very well, but it was of no avail ; his numerous influential relations and 
private friends carried him through. That his written works were the 
foundation of the present secession, I undoubtedly believe. Many that 
have left have declared they were the first things that led them to these 
new views, it was so declared publicly by several of them to the Lon- 
don Committee. ************** 



232 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

Dear John, I have just read thine carefully over, and I do see clearly, 
and unite in thy views respecting the writings of the Friend alluded to, 
so does my husband ; and we are the same we ever were ; and according 
to our ability, labor to uphold the Truth, and I cleared my mind in our 
last Select Yearly Meeting ; but, as I said before, the other current 
prevailed. Josiah Forster came from his sick chamber to throw his 
weight into the scale, and Elizabeth Dudley, though suffering under 
paralysis, was led up between two Friends for a similar purpose. 
Thou knowest the influence of the Forsters. Dear Sarah Grubb did 
her best against it ; but the truth is, he has gone into your land with 
the unity of that part of the Society who are influential in our Yearly 
Meeting. I conceive thy query to be unanswerable; his works on 
many points are not in unison with Fox and Barclay, nor in my ap- 
prehension can ever be explained to mean anything that sound Friends 
of primitive views can accord with ; they are many of them a burden 
to concerned Friends, a sore burden to many in this land as well as 
yours ; and must remain so until he himself disavows the obnoxious 
passages, and the speculative turn of them. All I have not read. I 
never profited by any I read, they are very superficial, and have no 
unction accompanying; it has always been incomprehensible to me that 
Friends who condemn Isaac Crewdson's writings can unite with Joseph 
John's which in many parts they resemble. ******* 
Many injurious concessions were made to the Beaconites by way of 
conciliation, which did no good. At Isaac Braithwaite's request my 
husband was removed from being assistant clerk to the Yearly Meeting, 
and Samuel Gurney put in his place. That made peace for a while ; 
but those things would not weld the iron and the clay together, they 
were not of us, and it was better to let them go forth at once, as they 
have mostly done since, rending as much as possible in their transit, 
like the evil spirits of old, united in nothing that I know of but the 
abandonment of seeking for Divine assistance in ministering and in 
worship, being ready at all times, some praying by a watch to measure 
half an hour set aside for that purpose — but I will leave this sad 
theme. 

I remain thy affectionate friend, and sister in the Truth. 

Margaret Crosfield. 



LETTER FROM THOMAS B. GOULD. 233 

FROM THOMAS B. GOULD TO J. W. 

Newport, 3d mo., 30th, 1838. 



MY DEAR FRIEND, 



For myself, I have seen no cause to change my opinion of J. J. 
Gurney. I continue to believe that he is as great an enemy to the 
Truth as ever he was, and that the only reason why he tries to mix in a 
sound form of words sometimes, is that he may allay the fears of Friends, 
and set their hearts at rest. While they are in this state, he can say 
what he will, and such would not notice it. I do not believe that he 
can frame to pronounce " Shibboleth." As for waiting to see him, so 
long as his books remain on his back, I see no necessity for it. They 
are sufficient evidence against him. For it is impossible that such 
carnality as he has advocated in them, should exist or remain, under the 
fire of that baptism, with which the true believers are baptized by the 
" one spirit into the one body ; " and so come into the unity of " the 
one faith," as it is in him who is Lord of all, Head over all things to 
his church and people. * * * * The longer I live, the more 
abundantly I am convinced that no part of that divine Truth, which we 
were originally raised up a people to bear testimony to, can be dis- 
pensed with, neither can it ever be changed. For it is unchangeable in 
its nature, like the unchangeable rock and foundation upon which it is 
based, — the Rock of Ages — not of that age only in which our worthy 
forefathers preached truth unto those to whom they were sent ; but it 
is as important to, and as imperative and obligatory upon us of this 
" degenerate age," as it was in that age, and will, I am satisfied, so con- 
tinue to the latest period of the world. And if we as a people should 
turn aside from that testimony to the light, spirit and power of Christ, 
revealed in the heart, as the primary rule and foundation of our faith 
and practice, the whole building must and will fall. There is no medium. 
For as William Penn said : " The light of Christ within, as God's gift 
for man's salvation, is as the root of the goodly tree of doctrines, which 
grew or branched forth out of it." I quote from memory. ****** 

5th mo., 10th. It seems to me, my dear friend, that if our precious 
testimonies are supported, it will be through suffering. They that are 
born after the flesh, always did and always will persecute them that are 
born after the Spirit. Our worthy and honorable predecessors were 
persecuted even unto death itself. That may be the case again ; but it 
seems to me that it will more probably be of that kind, spoken of by 
our blessed Lord : " Suppose ye that I came to give peace on earth ? 
I tell you nay ; but rather division ! For from henceforth there shall 
20* 



234 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three ; 
the father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the 
father ; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the 
mother," &c. ; and " the greatest enemies a man hath shall be they of 
his own household." Is it not the case ? are not the greatest enemies 
to the Truth under the profession of it ? are they not the greatest perse- 
cutors of those that are concerned and engaged for the support of 
Truth — for the law and the testimony ? Have they not more outward 
power than any others ? Are they not clothed with official authority, 
with high and imposing titles and credentials ? Was it not so with 
E. Bates ? Did not he take his aim, and shoot his arrows, and hit the 
mark he aimed at, while he was travelling under the outward sanction 
of the Society ? And is it not the case with this Englishman ? Will 
not those who bear testimony against him and his doctrines, have to 
stand and contend for the faith, " against principalities, against powers," 
against spiritual wickedness in high places, and even " the abomination 
that maketh desolate, standing where it ought not to stand ? " Really, 
it seems to me that the times upon which we have fallen are no com- 
mon times, and that the manner of this sifting differs from any other 
that has hitherto come upon us. For were we not raised up to bear 
testimony against all formality and will-worship ? Did not our prede- 
cessors support that testimony ? And not only so, did they not bear 
testimony to the true form, and succeed in setting it up and establish- 
ing it ? 

* * * * When I look at these things, when I consider the length 
and the breadth of the ground which our principles cover, and compare 
it with our practice, my soul is humbled within me ; it is saddened and 
afflicted within me ; and I am ready to say not only, " by whom shall 
the seed of Jacob arise," but, who shall be able to stand ? Neverthe- 
less, I am well satisfied and convinced, that the mark for the prize of 
this high and holy calling can in no wise be attained but by and through 
the power and virtue of the seed, Christ ; although it does not appear 
to be a time, by any means, in which it can be said that it " reigns and 
is over all," as it respects the state of the Church, (however it may, in 
relation to its own essential almighty power, or those who have " gotten 
the victory over the beast, and over his image, his mark, and the num- 
ber of his name," " through the blood of the Lamb, and the word of 
the testimony," which they have held,) but that it is low and under 
great oppression. 

* * * I can scarcely think that thou wilt be inclined to censure 
me for too high a stamp, although there is a great deal said now against 
such a stamp, and everything must needs be subjected to these modern 
refiners' melting pots, and their unholy fire kindled thereunder, until it 



LETTER FROM A. RAWLINSON BARCLAY. 235 

is neutralized, if not entirely evaporated. * * * I greatly desire 
to see thee, and to be somewhat " filled " with thy company ; and I 
want to give thee an account of some things which it would not be so 
easy nor so proper to put upon paper. I will just add, that my having 
been with the burden-bearers there, is a source of solid satisfaction to 
my mind ; and I am thankful in believing that the channel through 
which reproof and condemnation, as well as peace and consolation, flow 
thereinto, is still mercifully kept open ; but I have not felt the former, 
neither do I think it is truly " evangelical " to be found in the condition 
of " miserable sinners " through life, — " doing those things which we 
ought not to do, and leaving undone those things which we ought to 
do," — any more than the apostle, when he said : — " There is therefore 
now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not 
after the flesh, but after the spirit." Satisfied I am, that walking after 
or in the spirit, does not bring it, any more than walking in the light 
brings darkness. And whatever " Christian love " and fellowship or 
unity J. J. G. may speak and write of, for those that are in Egyptian 
darkness with himself, or desire them that are in the " light " to have 
for him, I am abundantly convinced that there is but one kind of unity 
or fellowship that is worth having, and no other means of obtaining it, 
but by " walking in the light." This is the unity and the fellowship 
that I desire to feel, and to be felt for me and with me ; and I desire 
no other ; and they that are in the light can have no unity with the 
unfruitful works of darkness. 

Thy friend, in the nearness of true Christian love, 

Thos. B. Gould. 



FROM A. RAWLINSON BARCLAY TO J. W. 

Leytonstone, near London, 18th of 5th mo., 1838. 
********** 

Thus, my dear friend, I have to bear up as well as I may be enabled, 
against the loss of a brother closely beloved in the Lord ; we were very 
near to each other in our views and feelings as to the state of things 
amongst us, and he was the cheerer and encourager of my heart under 
our late and present discouragements. One is ready to cry out, who is 
there to fight the battles of the Lord in this gloomy day ?***** 
My dear friend, where we seem to be suffering most in the present 
time, is in the feebleness and faithlessness of our London Morning 
Meeting. This was what was so deeply upon dear John's mind ; and 
I think he looked to some effort being made in the Select Yearly Meet- 
ing, this time, to strengthen the former meeting by representatives, 



236 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

from time to time, of Friends from the country. Thou knowest a little 
what sad pennings that meeting has passed, in J. J. G.'s reckless writ- 
ings ; also E. Ash's sorry slurs on our ancient Friends' writings; (which 
I was glad to see, in my recent numbers of " The Friend," had been 
touched upon, and which I hope will meet the eye of some here.) 
Then they have also rejected a new edition of dear Samuel Rundell's 
tract, which came under my notice, the author having deputed me to 
attend to it ; I do not hesitate to say, the reasons and views of the 
committee of the Morning Meeting were inconsistent with our ancient 
principles, and directly contrary to R. B.'s apology. It is a small 
committee of this meeting to whom is referred the close examination of 
MSS. ; and if they report to the meeting an opinion, one way or the 
other, the meeting records it ; and thus the business falls into a few 
hands. On this occasion, in having to do with them, I did not hesitate 
to reprove them sharply, for deserting the G. Whiteheads, the R. Bar- 
clays, the George Foxes, &c, of old times, as the expositors of, or tes- 
timony-bearers unto our principles, and taking to the J. J. Gurneys, 
&c,. of modern times. My dear brother also had to stand out nearly 
single-handed against these innovators, some months ago. 

I have recently published another little tract, of Extracts from early 
Friends, on Baptism and the Supper, in which I devoted a section to 
extracts intended to counteract their new notions on the eating the flesh, 
&c, (6th of John) — for which in part they rejected S. Rundell's tract ; 
they seem to consider that the flesh of Christ there spoken of, means 
his outward body spiritually eaten, by faith, his outward sacrifice so par- 
taken of, believed in, &c, which is given for the life of the world; and 
thus rejecting R. Barclay's view, that it refers to his spiritual body ; this 
spiritual view, it seems, savors too much of Hicksism for them. I would 
forward thee my tract, but fear it would come heavy in postage. Didst 
thou ever receive my last? Thy last two letters to my dear brother 
came too late to be seen by him ; I have them, and shall take care 
of them. We have heard little of J. J. G. of late ; I used to see many 
of his letters to his brothers or children ; but I now hear they are not 
shown about ; so I suppose he has been busily occupied in Philadelphia. 
His last sheet on Scripture Interpretations is or has been sought up, and 
I have not been able to get one. It is a sad effusion, and I much fear 
has occasioned us much mischief, and been the cause of some of the 
members of the committee of the Morning Meeting adopting the views 
I have alluded to, and thus has beguiled and beclouded them in their 
judgment of MSS. This is a melancholy business for me to reflect 
upon, to think that just before going away from us, he should have 
printed and signed a document of that kind, which has I believe occa- 
sioned, and continues so to do, so much mischief and stumbling amongst 



LETTER FROM A. RAWLINSON BARCLAY. 237 

those occupying upper ranks amongst us, on whom devolves the very 
important duty of revising MSS. on our faith, &c. This matter, this 
sore, now lurks and prevails, I believe, among these select Friends ; but 
being on points of doctrine seldom touched upon in public, does not get 
out much amongst us. With respect to E. Ash's book, I took occasion, 
soon after I had read it, to remark openly in our Meeting for Sufferings, 
that I regretted to think that there were parts in that book which I 
feared had escaped the proper care of the Morning Meeting, and I 
resisted, in consequence, our printing, as was proposed, a large edi- 
tion of it for extensive circulation ; this was a year ago ; I then (last 
Yearly Meeting) took an opportunity of speaking to the author, stating 
my objections, and that I should still object, in our Meeting for Suffer- 
ings, to its being again printed in its then state ; at the same time, I 
felt that my controversy was necessarily against the Morning Meeting 
for having passed it, and thus shielding the author. Far more came 
out of unsound views, in our conversation, than at all occurs in the 
book ; and I could see he was fully tinctured with J. J. G.'s views on the 
flesh, &c, of Christ. He stated, that he had at home a large collection 
of objectionable passages from early Friends, upon which he grounded 
his remarks in his second part. I invited him to let me see them, as I 
was familiar with their controversial works, and knew how largely 
they had replied to, or explained, &c. ; — but he has never sent them. 
I was desired to confer with him, that my objections might be attended 
to in the next edition ; but I never did so, as I could make nothing of 
such a piece of disjointedness. I was afterwards called upon, as a 
member of the Meeting for Sufferings, to explain what I had done, and 
why I objected to what had passed the Morning Meeting ; thus I was 
fairly brought out, and with my dear brother beside me, we made out 
such a strong case against them (the very members, or some of them, 
of the aforesaid committee of the Morning Meeting) that they were 
silenced, and they thought it best to drop the matter. It so happened, 
I had the hottest part of the engagement, as I was deemed to be the 
prominent obstacle in the way. I remember coming away from that 
sitting in admiration at the mercy and help of the Lord, that a poor 
stripling, taken on a sudden, should (without any contrivance of his 
own) be so helped against these authoritative ones. (Alas ! for their 
authority!) Whether at this Yearly Meeting the clouds about the 
minds of these may be dispelled, I know not ; but there is a hard, tough 
feature about them; they act so much by party, and suffer family 
interest to sway, and the like, and thus J. J. G.'s works have been (I 
believe I might say) forced through that revising meeting ; and now 
we see the consequences. Nothing will do but the pure truth ! I have 
told them plainly, it is no use speaking of their authority, or that a 



238 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

work has passed that meetiDg, if it be inconsistent with our principles, 
and gives offence to well concerned Friends up and down the country, 
and in America. 

I heartily desire my cousin J. J. G. may be brought to see the 
inconsistencies of some of his writings. I hope there are Aquilas and 
Priscillas in Philadelphia and elsewhere, who will show him more per- 
fectly the beauty and the excellency there is in the Truth and its princi- 
ples, and the importance, in one filling the station he does, of perfect 
consistency. 

My dear sisters Mary and Lydia are tolerable ; the latter is very 
delicate ; she is staying with the former during Yearly Meeting. It is 
affecting to hear how nearly our loss is felt by Friends with us, in this 
annual solemnity. 

Dear John, last year, when disabled from attending Yearly Meeting, 
was visited by a large number of Friends from the country ; and he 
used to encourage them and cheer them often, and show his deep inter- 
est in the welfare of our poor little Society. He is gone to his rest in 
the Lord ; sweet was the assurance, when I was with him near the 
last, of his acceptance in the Beloved, and that the everlasting arms 
were holding out towards him, whilst struggling in the last decay of the 
outward tabernacle. May we be animated to follow him, as he was 
concerned to follow his blessed Lord ! Farewell, my dear friend ; do 
write to me, thou hast, never, I think, yet done so. I remain thy truly 
affectionate friend. A. Rawlinson Barclay. 

FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY TO J. W. 

Croydon, 18th of 6th mo. 1838. 

MY DEAR AND VALUED FRIEND, 

It was in my heart to have written to thee soon after the receipt 
(in 1st mo.) of thy kind and very acceptable letter, dated 11th mo. 
last year, but it was the beginning of a long illness with me, and I 
thought perhaps it was better to write after our Yearly Meeting. My 
dear friend, I felt it truly kind, and cause for humble thankfulness to 
Him in whom are all our fresh springs, that thou should be drawn thus 
to write to me, to strengthen and to comfort me at a very low time, 
and amidst much that dismays and oppresses. Were it not for such 
cups of refreshment and help, some of the poor exercised ones would 
be in danger of fainting by the way. 

But how shall I proceed to tell thee of the great affliction that is 
permitted us — or how shall I describe our great loss, in the removal 
by death of my dearly beloved brother John, the 11th of last month ! 
but thou canst enter into it and canst feel for us. He and I were united 



LETTER FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY. 239 

together in closer bonds than those of outward relationship, even from 
the time that he was fourteen and I twelve years of age, and when he 
was first drawn into religious thoughtfulness, and then appeared inclin- 
ing towards the Church of England ; and ever since that time I have 
shared in all his exercises, his letters, and his works, for he has most 
kindly thought my poor judgment worth consulting as well as made 
use of my pen in copying for him. I cannot tell thee how sweet has 
been our intercourse of latter years, especially since they lived at 
Newington, where I have gone nearly every month to see them, (after 
attending the Morning Meeting) taken my work done and received 
fresh to do. But, dear friend, I cannot repine, it is all well ordered 
by a tender Father, both for me and for him, — it is for my good this 
dear prop is taken from me, and he has joined the just of all genera- 
tions, (made perfect through sufferings like their dear Master) whose 
bright examples he has been faithfully concerned to hold up to our 
view in his publications ! His day has been a short one but a full one, 
and the work thereof kept pace with the light thereof; he was just 
turned forty-one years of age, nearly the age of our dear ancestor the 
apologist. He had the influenza this spring at the same time that I had it, 
from which he never recovered, but sunk in very rapid consumption, only 
being very ill about a fortnight. He had gone to Brighton for change 
of air, and was removed from there to Tunbridge Wells, in Kent, about 
three days before his death. There I went to him, and was favored to 
witness his peaceful close, about thirty hours after I got there ; he had 
no pain at all, nor any pang of separation, but he seemed so redeemed 
from all, that it was like translation ! He uttered many sweet expres- 
sions, the day before his death, which we have put down. These are the 
principal. Alluding to the texts John i. 9th, and viii. 12th, he said, 
" It does not say that we shall all at once know all things, but as they can 
bear — 0, 'tis because they want to know all at once, not as children 
learn, that the light is taken away : " " praise where it is due, and 
thanksgiving and melody." Another time, "They say there is no 
revelation — but what is made manifest to us as our duty, as the Lord's 
will, is revelation — this is my belief — I am sure of it — they slight reve- 
lation, but it shall prevail, and the spirit of the Lord shall reign over 
all." " None that trust in the Lord shall be confounded, but they shall 
be as Mount Zion which can never be removed ; for the mouth of the 
Lord hath spoken it." " You all know my desire to be preserved near 
the Lord ; I only want to be strengthened and upheld by the Lord, 
to be found in him — this is the way of peace." " The Lord will be 
your Lord," with more relative to his being a sure refuge and hiding- 
place. " We must be faithful to what is made known, — to the smallest 
discoveries of the light of Truth." When I was alone with him he 



240 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

said, " The quiet habitation, dear sister ; thou looks as if thou loved the 
quiet habitation. O, how desirable," with more about it and greater 
dedication and faithfulness. He often said, " Let us all be still and quiet," 
" Let us be retired in our minds." That same evening his voice was 
lifted up in a sweet melody in which we could occasionally distinguish 
such words as these : " O, Lord, dear Lord, come ! " "I bless the 
Lord ! " "I am the Lord's forever." " Cleave to him, oh, cleave to 
him ! " " Love him with all your heart ! " with " Hallelujah ! " very 
often repeated as a constant and melodious song of praise for hours 
together. 0, I shall never forget the sweet feeling, about an hour 
before the close ; dear Mary, after giving him some nourishment, asked 
him if he knew her — he replied with a sweet smile, " Yes, my Mary ; " 
had he any pain ? " No, not any ; " was he happy ? " Yes, very ; " 
and then laid down, and quietly drew his breath shorter and shorter 
and seemed to fall asleep, so sweet was the close. * 

I have dwelt long on this subject, but now will turn to others, knowing 
thy feeling heart will excuse me. 

I do not know if thou hast heard about dear Samuel Eundell's tract 
on " Redemption, Divine Worship, and partaking of the flesh and blood 
of Jesus." It was first published four years ago ; the second edition 
was submitted to the Morning Meeting, two years ago last 2d month ; 
it was only then read at an adjournment of that meeting, (which I call 
very unfair, as but few attend such,) and then given in charge to the 
committee (which consists principally of a certain influential class, but 
my dear brother John was also one to his humbling!) they, after reading 
it, kept it twenty months, and then the subject was brought forward again 
last 11th month in the committee, where it appeared that many or most 
of them disapproved of it as tending to undervalue the outward coming 
and sacrifice of our Saviour, and embracing views which they thought 
objectionable. (I must say that P. Bedford was not present.) My 
dear brother John confuted them all, being strengthened to an inno- 
cent boldness, and spoke very closely to several ; he told E. Fry that 
had she lived in the days of the reformers she would have been no 
martyr, she was so for covering things over with love, (or something 
to this effect.) He answered S. Corder closely, reminding her that 
in his own parlor, she had expressed such a sentiment that he told her 
then, she was a downright Papist. Samuel Gurney spoke something 
against Wm. Penn's writings, saying that he was not in unity with his 
friends ; John answered, " Yes, dear friend, Wm. Penn was in unity 
with his friends, but his friends were for a time afraid of him as thine 
are now of thee for the same reason, because he was so linked with 
the great, and the rich and the wise " — this is as much as I can recol- 
lect; he was kept in great sweetness, and meekness, and peaceful 



LETTER FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY. 241 

quiet through the whole. W. Allen was the only one who stood 
up for him and the tract ; so they had their own way, and ordered 
a letter written to S. R. advising strongly his withdrawing it, and 
then, to finish all, " they wrapt it up " with the circulation of this 
report, viz : that S. R. had withdrawn it ! This is the way, dear 
friend, that sound things are rejected and discouraged, while unsound 
things are violently urged through that meeting! and the reason 
of it is that the members of the said committee have the views (or 
most of them in different degrees of mixture) contained in J. J. G.'s 
private book ; as their reasons for objecting to it were in coincidence 
with that book. But I have now the satisfaction to tell thee that in 
consequence of dear D. Wheeler's strong encouragement and stimulus 
to S. R-, he is induced to think of publishing his tract, notwithstanding ; 
as he has desired to have a conference with that committee to defend 
his own and our early Friends' views, which they wholly decline to 
allow him ; so he feels liberated from them. My brother Rawlinson 
has or will have it in charge to get out shortly. ****** 
Sarah Grubb desired her dear love to thee ; she was raised up to come 
and bear her noble yet close testimony among us this Yearly Meeting, 
saying that we should yet be sifted more, yea, wiped out, as a man 
wipeth a dish turning it upside down ! * * * * 

It is well to sit alone and keep silence in these troublous times ! and 
how sweet at times to feel united to some at a distance though out- 
wardly unknown to us — this unity cannot be dissolved by death or by 
distance, or by the floods of affliction. May I send my love in the Lord 
Jesus to dear Jonathan Evans of Philadelphia ? I consider the preface 
to Pike and Oxley as dear John's dying testimony ; thou wilt greatly 
like it, and also the book. It strikes at the accumulation of riches, and 
getting into superfluities. O, these have got to a fearful height now 
over here, so that ministers and elders who ought to be good examples 
to the flock, are instead thereof examples of shaking hands with the 
worldly spirit in all things ! there are but a few whose hands are clean, 
and such go under reproach as narrow ; but we must be content to be 
as our Lord and his Spirit ever was and will be, contrary to the 
worldly spirit. We are mingling with the mass of other professors, as 
dear Sarah Grubb said we should be, by our mingling with them in 
benevolent matters, even in the Yearly Meeting of 1820, and told us 
to note it in our pocketbooks, and said that we should thereby get to 
think there was no good in this query or the other query, till all the 
discipline would by degrees fall to the ground ; so now this is coming 
to pass rapidly in reality or life, however fair the superstructure or 
form may still appear. ******** 
I remain thy nearly united friend, 
21 Ltdia A. Barclay. 



242 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 



FROM ABIGAIL DOCKRAY TO J. W. 

Manchester, 13th of 9th mo., 1838. 

MY BELOVED FRIEND JOHN WTLBUR, 

* * * I am truly glad to avail myself of this opening, to assure 
thee, my dear friend, that thou art, and hast been, much and often in 
our remembrance. How should it be otherwise, whilst we have been 
witnessing the developments of those exercising prospects with which 
thy poor afflicted spirit was at times well-nigh overwhelmed whilst 
within our borders ! The recollection of some seasons, wherein my 
own mind was permitted to participate, though, perhaps, in a small 
measure, with thine, is still fresh in my remembrance. Many and sore 
have been our afflictions, and they are not yet ended. I sometimes 
think it is only a part of the roughest of the mixture which has been 
sifted from us. There is much of a more specious and refined nature 
remaining, which, if I mistake not, is still more opposed to the simplic- 
ity of the Truth, as it is in Jesus. Ah, what a subtle enemy is ours ! 
working in a mystery. Loud, indeed, is the call to us, every one, 
" Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall." My 
beloved husband has, I think, been wonderfully delivered from a load 
of oppression which long pressed him down, and now seems to me and 
many of his friends, to have been hidden as in a cave, and thereby 
prepared to take his place in the midst of a little band, who, though in 
their own estimation but as a feeble few, have yet been favored to stand 
faithfully, and bear the different assaults which have been permitted 
to try them. 

Well, I could write more, but am obliged to conclude, as this goes 

by the hand of a friend who waits for it. 

******* 

My dear D. D. desires me to give his dear love to thee. Farewell, 
my dear friend. In the precious feeling of love and near unity, 
I remain thy very affectionate friend, 

Abigail Dockrat. 



FROM DANIEL WHEELER TO J. TV. 

Philadelphia, 2d of Second Month, 1839. 

MY DEAR FRIEND JOHN WILBUR, 

"When just on the eve of taking my departure from New York 
for this city, thy letter of the 22d ult. was received ; and truly welcome 
it was to hear from thee once more upon thy own shores. My time 



LETTER FROM DANIEL WHEELER. 243 

has been fully occupied ever since, in Burlington and its neighborhood, 
until yesterday, when I left, and got here in the afternoon. * * * * 
On leaving England for North America, I had no denned plan in 
prospect of what I might have to do when I got there ; but it was clear 
to my mind that the first step which I had to take was to make the best 
of my way thither ; and since my arrival I have found that I must be 
content to live one day alone, and am thankful to be able to say that 
thus far I have been graciously supported and helped along to my own 
admiration and comfort and peace. I am not, however, insensible that 
bonds and afflictions abide me ; and I do not feel any disposition to 
shrink from feeling the burden of them, believing that if they be ac- 
cepted for Christ's sake and his gospel's ; in his own time, if patiently 
abode under, the freedom and liberty and consolations of the gospel 
will also be permitted at seasons to abound to his praise. 

Without anticipating more tribulation to be my portion than what 
falls to the lot of other mortals, I cannot conceive it should be otherwise 
than a day of suffering with those who are called upon to fill up a 
share of that which remains for the body's sake according to their 
measure, when those things which make truly desolate, and destitute of 
the Divine presence, stand where they ought not, (in the place which 
should be holy,) instead of that pure vital religion which the spiritu- 
ality of the gospel dispensation bestows upon all that believe in its 
teachings ; and it is these only that know it to be the power of God 
unto salvation from sin and transgression. How many are contenting 
themselves at this day, even though making high profession of the 
Christian religion, with a mere outward declaration of " glad tidings of 
good things, and great joy to all people," without coming to the heart- 
felt knowledge of this very gospel within themselves, though preached 
in and to every creature under heaven, in language as intelligible as 
that of the angel which John saw fly through the midst of heaven 
with it in his hand, who cried with a loud voice, " Fear God and give 
glory to him," and which is only hidden from those " whose minds 
are blinded by the god of this world, lest the light of the glorious gos- 
pel of Christ should shine unto them ! " It is much more palatable to 
the creature to be fed with pleasant food from the tree of knowledge, 
which never can sustain the soul and was never intended for man to 
feed upon, though good in its proper place, (and if to a proper extent 
cultivated, allowable,) than to have the attention turned to that holy 
principle of gospel light which shines in every heart, which would set 
a man's sins in order before him without flattery or deceit, whereby he 
might be induced to commence the great and necessary work, and learn 
the first principles of the doctrines of Christ, which is "repentance 
toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ," by faith in the 



244 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

power of the Holy Spirit to purify and cleanse the heart from every 
defilement. " Repent and believe the gospel," " Repent and obey the 
gospel," is coarse food in the present day. ****** 
Farewell, my dear friend ; desiring my love to thyself and family, 
I am thy affectionate friend, 

Daniel Wheeler. 
• 

FROM J. W. TO THOMAS B. GOULD. 

Hopkinton, 22d of 2d mo., 1839. 

MY DEAR THOMAS, 

***** The i oss f our d ear a g e( } friend Jonathan Evans 
has indeed filled my heart with sorrow ; and the question has arisen in 
my almost desponding mind, is it intended by the God of Israel, on 
account of the great iniquity of his people and of the priesthood, to 
suffer the ark of his testimony to go into the hands of the Philistines, 
as he did formerly by reason of the profaning of their sacred ofiice by 
the house of Eli ? One after another of the most valiant among the 
few left to give glory to his name on account of Israel's deliverance 
from his former enemies, are removed and called away to their everlast- 
ing mansions ! Great gain, indeed, to them ; but how will it fare with 
the solitary ones who are thus stripped and bereaved of their strength 
and counsel in this day of treading down by the enemy ? But if He 
disband the elder warriors altogether, as having fulfilled their commis- 
sion, will he raise up another army from the ranks of an early walk, 
and send them into the field against the mighty ? 

Yesterday, before receiving the sorrowful tidings, I was reading in 
the history of Israel's kings and their warfare, and the great strait to 
which the armies of Israel, Judah, and Edom were brought, in their 
going forth against Moab, for want of water, and thereby induced to 
seek counsel of the Lord ; and when inquiry was made for a prophet, 
one of the king's servants answered and said, " here is Elisha the son of 
Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah! " My mind was 
much interested in this beautiful description of the young prophet and 
his mission. He had been called and anointed by Elijah, had waited 
on him, and received a double portion of his spirit, had caught the fall- 
ing mantle when Elijah ascended up to heaven, and became a prophet 
in his room. And subsequently, in the midst of my bemoaning of 
Israel's loss in our day, I was instructed by a recurrence to the order- 
ing of Infinite Wisdom in that day, when the condition of his people 
was exceedingly forlorn, by reason of a forsaking of their testimonies, 
yet he saw meet to take away from them him who was called " the 
chariot of Israel," but not without a succession. And a little hope 



LETTER FROM THOMAS B. GOULD. 245 

revives, that there will be found " one of a city, and two of a family," 
called to uphold the ancient testimonies of Israel, who will at least have 
known as much as to have poured water upon the hands of those who 
have ascended, and gone before them ! 

* * * * T n muc h love, I remain thine, &c, 

John Wilbur. 



FROM THOMAS B. GOULD TO J. W. 

Newport, 1st of 3d mo., 1839. 
********** 

Long ago — years ago, when I was a little child, I remember how I 
loved, and how I was concerned to endeavor to keep near those who 
kept near the Lord, and how earnestly I desired then to be able to see, 
spiritually, who were near him ; and I remember how it was opened to 
me then that it was necessary for me to keep my own eyes — the eye of 
my mind — to him, and upon him, and " in him," not only for my own 
safe condition and standing, but also it was clearly and immediately 
opened to my view that even those who had attained to a good condi- 
tion — to a heavenly and honorable condition, might lose it and fall from 
it ; and yet this might be the case when, as to the outward, there might 
be little change in the appearance ; so that the mind must be kept prin- 
cipally and primarily in the " Head," and not look to men or follow 
men, any farther than they followed him and were found in him. I 
desire to speak it to the praise of that grace, everlasting loving-kind- 
ness and tender mercy, by which not only I am what I am, but by 
which alone I have been preserved from still clinging to and following 
after men who, having once been favored with it, and richly adorned 
and eminently qualified by it for usefulness, and thereby made as exam- 
ples to the flock, have turned from it to wantonness. But how many 
there are who practise upon the false principle, " once in grace always 
in grace," however unwilling they may be to own it ; so that if a man 
has once had a name to live, and especially if his reputation has been 
great and generally acknowledged, when he loses his life and becomes 
spiritually dead, to all intents and purposes, nothing remaining but a 
lifeless carcass, and even this unlike that of the prophet who was slain 
by the lion, (for his carcass was not eaten, nor the ass on which he rode 
torn,) he must still be honored and cherished, as if he were a living 

jYjoj-1 1 ********* 

Farewell. 

T. B. Gould. 

21* 



246 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY TO J. W. 

Reigate, Surrey, 21st of 3d mo., 1839. 

MY DEAR AND VALUED FRIEND, 

I hope I am not unsuitably intruding by writing before my usual 
time, but I thought it was due to thy deeply exercised mind to acknowl- 
edge the comfort it was to receive thy very kind and acceptable letter 
of 12th month last, and though it contained truly sorrowful tidings, yet 
it was a confirmation to see that we were one in feeling and in suffer- 
ing respecting a prominent individual, and that the fears and feelings of 
a little band of suffering ones have been entirely realized. Oh ! the 
bright accounts that I hear from different parts, speaking of the life and 
presence of the Master attending the ministry of such an one, and from 
those who are much looked up to by some, and therefore it is more 
likely that even the chosen ones should be deceived ! But I have been 
reminded of the injunction, " When they shall say, See here ! or, Lo he 
is there ! believe it not, go not after them," and also, " see that ye be 
not troubled," (at what we see and hear,) " for these things must needs 
be," " in your patience possess ye your souls." One is ready to think 
that, ere long, something surely will occur to show more plainly where 
such are, and how they are departed from the life of Truth, for all the 
world seems gone after them, and the doctrine of this spirit is (as J. 
Steel, the honest ploughman formerly said, see Pike and Oxley) so 
smooth that none can pick a hole in it ; nevertheless the tendency is to 
scatter from the life ! 

Some of my few and mournful correspondents are ready to say, (in 
beholding and feeling these things, as well as the sad torrent of liberty 
out of the cross that seems to overwhelm us here and to sweep all 
before it,) Alas ! there is no hope ! and truly in low and discouraging 
seasons, which are not few, I am ready to join in their mournful fore- 
bodings. This spirit of deception has lamentably gone forth with rapid 
stride, the above individual setting the example in chopping round from 
Beaconism to what is called and passes for ancient Quakerism, (the imi- 
tation is so exact,) others of different degrees of powerful influence 
have followed, the bait has been eagerly swallowed, the golden pill 
gone down, and the effects have seemed so good that almost all are 
deceived into unity with it ! How it does remind me of dear Sarah 
Grubb's dream, a few years ago ! She dreamed she was sitting in meet- 
ing, and saw something very excellent and beautiful come in at the 
door, and as it entered it was immediately so admired by all and won- 
dered at for its beauty, that all made way for it and caressed it, and it 
went right up into the ministers' gallery, and crept about the feet and 
legs of the Friends there, and all loved it and made way for it, and it 



LETTER FROM THOMAS B. GOULD. 247 

crept up higher and higher about their bodies, till at last it squeezed the 
very life out of them ! Alas, this is too true ! * * * Oh, my dear 
friend, the luxury that is crept in amongst us here is sad indeed ; the 
houses, tables, carriages, gardens and children of our ministers and elders 
are examples of shaking hands with the worldly spirit, under various 
pretences, and others, of course, follow it ; so that there is very little true 
simplicity left amongst us, except amongst the poor or country Friends 
and some weak ones like myself, that must bear our singular testimony 
against that which we were in the beginning brought out of; (surely 
George Fox would have no unity with us, but would cry, Woe ! against 
us ;) and the consequence of this is that either the cross (the power of 
God) is not preached amongst us, or else it is not it cannot be truly 
preached with convincing energy ; for I confess it seems a paradox to me, 
how any can really and truly preach the cross, testify against the worldly 
spirit, or exhort to faithfulness in any degree, whilst their own conduct 
contradicts what they preach ! and yet this is continually the case, to 
my dismay and pain. But I fear I shall make thee sad with my 
lamentations ! Yet, dear friend, there is a little faithful remnant with 
us as with you, as it were " one of a city and two of a tribe," and they 
are a comfort one to another, and I believe also to others that look on 
their ways. (Ezekiel, xiv. 22.) May they be preserved as in the hol- 
low of the Almighty hand, whilst this sifting is going on, for surely we 
must have more sifting and shaking still, and (as John says in one of his 
letters) " more falling away, that the man of sin may be revealed and 
more and more discovered, and that Zion may be redeemed through 
judgment and saved as by fire, and the overflowing scourge must pass 
through, when the refuge of lies is swept away, and the sure foundation 
established and manifested, and when the Lord is about his work, his 
strange work." 

Thy affectionate friend, 

Ltdia A. Barclay. 



FROM THOMAS B. GOULD. 

Newport, 31st of 8th mo., 1839. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

* - "- # * * # * * * * * 

Sure I am, that nothing which is of the right stamp can contradict 
the spirit of our discipline, as it was originally framed. (I will not 
speak of modern times.) Still, George Fox and other worthies never 
intended to limit the Holy One of Israel from putting forth his own 
power, and magnifying his own name, in such a way as pleased him. 
They only intended to limit and keep down, by the discipline, wrong 



248 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

things of the unauthorized activity of the creature ; and they had the 
true spirit of judgment, and could discern the stamp of Divine authority, 
when it appeared in an unusual way — a way contrary to the deductions 
of fallen man, with all his boasted powers of reason, order, and the rule 
of decency and right (so called). How would the prophet Isaiah have 
fared if he had appeared in our day as he did formerly, — a sign to 
Egypt and Ethiopia ? Or how would Thomas Aldam, and a host of 
other worthies, have fared amongst us ? 

In a view of our dead, cold, formal state and condition, I was led to 
think of these things. We seem very much to have set up for our- 
selves ; and to be under no obligation to wait to know the mind of Truth* 
And I freely confess it would be no surprise to me, if the Lord of the 
whole earth should raise up, qualify and exercise some of his servants, 
who are not in an outwardly gathered state, in such a way as would 
make both the ears of them that heard it, tingle, and the eyes of them 
that saw it, to fail of seeing it in its true light and bearing. The whole 
course of his Providence, and of the dispensation both of his mercy 
and of his judgments to backsliders, whether we look at the people of 
Israel after the flesh, or the apostate Christian church, (and especially 
at the breaking forth of Truth in the seventeenth century,) has hitherto 
been attended by signs and wonders, which baffled all the wisdom and 
prudence of the natural man, and which such could neither receive 
nor believe, although it was declared unto them, however high their 
profession might be ! And in consideration of the fact, that no people 
since the apostolic times, have ever approached so near to the purity 
and power then witnessed, as Friends, and also of our degeneracy, for- 
mality, carnality, and lukewarmness, at present, it seems as if the 
language was applicable to us : " You only have I known, (in compari- 
son with others, and in respect to the nearness of communion, and the 
openness of vision,) therefore you will I punish for all your iniquities ! " 
And if one woe will not* turn us back to Truth there will be another and 
another, — even overturn, overturn, overturn, until He comes whose 
right it is to reign, who is wonderful in working and almighty in power ! 

We were glad to hear of thy engagements, both epistolary and in 
the line of the ministry ; and of the latter being owned by Him who 
still putteth forth his own, and goeth before them, and blesseth their 
labors, even causing those who preach the gospel of his grace, to live 
of the gospel ; and although they oftentimes go forth weeping, yet, bear- 
ing "precious seed," they will doubtless return again rejoicing, bringing 
their sheaves of peace with them ; as I doubt not has been the case 
with thee. 

#■#*■*■*#**•#* 

I am thy sure friend, 

Thomas B. Gould. 



VISITS QUARTERLY MEETINGS IN NEW ENGLAND. 249 

Having felt drawings in my mind for several years, to visit 
most, or all the Quarterly Meetings belonging to New Eng- 
land Yearly Meeting, and obtaining a certificate from our 
Monthly Meeting of their unity with the concern, I left 
home on the 29th of 11th mo., 1839, and reaching Newport 
next day, attended their two meetings on the day following ; 
and although the meeting then was in a condition which made 
it very trying for me to sit with them, yet I was favored in 
mercy, after a distressing night, to have pretty open service in 
both. On second day I attended the funeral of Sarah Cong- 
don, (my sister-in-law,) and had a short, awakening testimony 
in the meeting held on the occasion. 

On third day morning, I left Rhode Island with my beloved 
friend, Henry Gould, as companion, for New Bedford, and 
lodged at our friend Seth Davis's, and next morning got to the 
Select Quarterly Meeting at New Bedford ; in which I was 
silent. The day following, in the public Quarterly Meeting^ 
way was made, and a door of utterance was given, to speak 
of the greatness and goodness of God, and the exalted nature 
of his kingdom, and the condition of being stayed on him and 
trusting in him. In this meeting strength was mercifully 
given to declare the Truth in a manner truly relieving to my 
tried and afflicted mind ; and free access to the feet of Divine 
mercy was granted in prayer, to the praise of God's holy 
name. On sixth day, we had a satisfactory meeting at Long 
Plain, and returned to New Bedford. 

On seventh day, finding no opportunity to take passage to 
Nantucket, whither I felt myself bound, we visited several 
families in a religious way, to good satisfaction, and some 
others in a social manner. On first day morning, we took 
passage in a steam vessel, with the Friends from that Island, 
where we safely arrived in time for the afternoon meeting, 
which proved an open time ; and at the close, a meeting was 
appointed for second day evening, to which the youth were 
particularly invited, with others who generally attend. This 
meeting was very satisfactory and relieving, strength being 
given to make a renewed call to a faithful support of our 
testimonies. "While on the Island, we visited a number of 
families, such as were sick and afflicted, and unable to attend 
meetings, and had divers opportunities with many dear Friends 



250 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

at our lodgings ; in all which service we seemed to find an 
open door in testimony, and sometimes in solemn supplica- 
tion, I believe, to the renewal of the strength of many. On 
fourth day, feeling clear of the Island, we left it, and landed 
at Falmouth, where next day we had a favored meeting, and 
great peace ensued. The day following, went to Yarmouth, 
and on seventh day, had a good meeting there. After this we 
went to Sandwich, and on first day, attended their meeting, 
in which help was graciously afforded to preach the gospel) 
in some degree in the demonstration of the Spirit, and with 
power. Next day we went to John Davis's to dine, and then 
to our beloved friends, James and Sarah Tucker's to lodge ; 
and the day following to Fall River, where next day, the 18th 
of 12th mo., and fourth of the week, we attended their mid- 
week meeting, in which strength was mercifully given to exalt 
the name of the Lord over all. Here my companion, Henry 
Gould, left me, and went home ; and I arrived home on the 
21st of the month, and found all well ; and sweet peace was 
my reward. 

On fourth day, the 8th of 1st mo., 1840, I set out on my 
visit to Friends in the Eastern States, and went by public 
conveyance to Lynn, where I arrived on seventh day, and on 
first day, was at their fore and afternoon meetings. Not- 
withstanding Friends are here in a mournful state of dis- 
sension, which made it appear to me exceedingly difficult to 
speak among them in a manner to divide the word aright, yet 
the blessed Shepherd was mercifully pleased to go before, and 
to guide in a way which I trust none could gainsay or con- 
demn. On third day I attended the Select Quarterly Meet- 
ing at Salem, and was therein led to invite those present to 
gather to Christ, our Holy Head, that his presence and his 
word might be our stay and staff in this day of trouble, and 
that our souls might be anchored in God. On fifth day at- 
tended the Quarterly Meeting, and large and weighty service 
therein fell to my lot. On sixth day, I went to West Newbury, 
and had a meeting there in the evening, to pretty good satis- 
faction, and lodged with my friends Robert and Susan Brown. 
Seventh day, these friends went with me to Amesbury, where 
we lodged at Philip Jones's, whose wife, with her Christian 
cheerfulness and hearty kindness, helped me to take courage 



DOVER QUARTERLY MEETING. 251 

in holding up my head in hope. At this place I had a highly- 
favored meeting, in which divers Christian doctrines were 
opened and delivered to those present, in a degree I trust, of the 
right authority ; and way was mercifully made to the house 
of prayer. In the afternoon, I had a trying meeting at Sea- 
brook, but way was at length made to sound an alarm 
amongst them. 

From hence, Edward Gove kindly took me to Dover, where 
we had an appointed meeting, to my great relief. Here I 
lodged at my kind relatives, William and Hannah Wilbur's ; 
and afterwards went to Lower Rochester, and had a meeting 
there at ten next morning, which, though somewhat open, was 
not very satisfactory, owing I believe, to great unfaithfulness 
in some. The same afternoon, I attended the Select Quarter- 
ly Meeting, at Upper Rochester, — a trying season to me. 
Next day I attended the Quarterly Meeting, which was small, 
on account of a great snow. But in this meeting, way was 
early made to preach Christ, the Resurrection and the Life, 
and to invite Friends to first principles — to that high and holy 
calling to which our predecessors bore testimony, and to the 
way in which they walked. Next day I went back to Dover, 
where we attended a marriage, but it was my lot to be silent. 
After this I proceeded to North Berwick, where a prospect 
which had been increasing on my mind for some days, of 
visiting the families of Friends of this Monthly Meeting, 
seemed so to mature, that I thought it best to call a meeting 
of the select members, in order to open my prospect to them, 
for their advice and concurrence therein ; which met their ap- 
probation ; and after a good meeting on first day, I proceeded 
in this weighty service, having for company, Joshua Jenkins 
and wife, Joshua Meader and John D. Lang, though not all 
at the same time. In the course of the week, this visit was 
accomplished, with the attendance of Oak Woods and Elliot 
meetings, all to good satisfaction as to the discharge of duty. 

On seventh day, the 1st of 2d mo., I went to Westbrook, 
and on first day, attended meeting at Falmouth and Port- 
land ; the former, through close searching labor, proved a 
favored meeting ; the latter, very trying, though considerable 
labor was bestowed. On second day I went to Gprham, and 
next day had a meeting there, pretty satisfactory ; and on 



252 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

fourth day, attended the Select Quarterly Meeting at Wind- 
ham, which was a comfortable season to me. Next day 
was the Public Quarterly Meeting, which was an exercis- 
ing time to me, and silence was my lot. When the Meeting 
for Discipline was opened, there was a person who had been 
disowned, that refused to leave ; on which account the meet- 
ing was adjourned to 10 o'clock next morning; of which I 
was glad, because it seemed so unsettled that I apprehend- 
ed I should not be able to throw off my burden. At the 
adjournment next morning, I obtained liberty to visit the 
women's meeting, in which way was made for extensive and 
fervent labor ; and on returning into the men's meeting, 
Truth opened my mouth in its own demonstration, and 
its power prevailed, greatly to the comfort of the living, and 
divers Friends expressed their thankfulness for the favor this 
day extended to us. After meeting I went to Brunswick, 
where, on first day, I attended their meeting, in which I had 
extensive service, both in testimony and in supplication. This 
was a very large meeting, and the power of Truth overshad- 
owed it, to the praise of the Lord's great name, to whom it 
belongs ! On the same afternoon, we travelled to Litchfield, 
where next day we had a favored meeting, in which the great 
doctrines of the true gospel ministry, and the baptism of the 
Holy Ghost were largely explained in the authority of Truth. 
It afterwards appeared that a number of the Baptists and 
their minister, were present. The same afternoon we had a 
meeting at Winthrop, which was long silent and painful, in 
consequence, as I believed, of a careless, lukewarm state, 
prevalent amongst them. 

Next day, at Hallowell, we had a good meeting ; and 
from thence I went to Vassalboro, and the day following, at- 
tended the Select Quarterly Meeting there, where a little 
labor rested on me. The next day, I attended the public 
Quarterly Meeting, and much arduous service fell to my lot, 
both in testimony and supplication ; and Truth prevailed. 
On sixth and seventh days, the 14th and 15th of 2d mo., I had 
meetings at the Outlet, China Neck, South China and China, 
of which the last was silent on my part, and that at the Neck 
long silent and laborious, but ended pretty well ; — the other 
two were good meetings. On first day we had an open, good 



EASTERN VISIT CONTINUED. 253 

meeting at Albion, as also the next day at their Monthly- 
Meeting, at Unity ; — both, I trust, profitable seasons. Next 
morning attended China Monthly Meeting, which was, to me, 
a deeply instructive time, in which strength and wisdom were 
mercifully given, and prayer and praise were humbly offered 
to Him, who did, in unbounded mercy, deign to preside over 
this gathering. The day following, I went to Vassalboro, 
and attended the Monthly Meeting there, in which the subject 
of the New Covenant was demonstrated, and its nature in a 
twofold sense, explained ; Christ without us, and Christ with- 
in us, together with the doctrine latterly, so much insisted on, 
of justification by faith in the paschal sacrifice alone, without 
regard to obedience ; the fallacy of which doctrine was ex- 
posed. After this meeting, we went to Sidney, and next day 
attended the Monthly Meeting there, in which the necessity, 
as well as excellency of gathering to the Shiloh, and of wait- 
ing upon him, was pressingly set forth. 

The same afternoon, went to Litchfield, and next day at- 
tended Monthly Meeting there ; in w T hich Christ, both crucified 
and risen again, the hope of glory, was preached in the dem- 
onstration. The next day we travelled to Durham, and 
attended their meeting the following day ; which was long 
silent, I believe because the people were looking unto man 
rather than gathering unto Christ. On second day, went to 
Falmouth, and next day to Windham, where we had a meeting 
the same afternoon — long silent and exercising, but concluded 
pretty well. The day following I wrote to my wife and chil- 
dren, and called on several Friends, and the day after, went to 
Limington, where next day was held Windham Monthly 
Meeting ; and after meeting, went to Parsonsfield, where, on 
seventh day morning, we had a meeting which was open and 
much favored; and in the afternoon, travelled about thirty 
miles to North Sandwich, and next morning had a meeting 
there, in which my exercised mind got some relief. In the 
afternoon, I had a meeting at South Sandwich, (silent,) and 
after it visited a sick Friend and her sister, to good satisfac- 
tion ; and then went to Ezra Meader's and lodged. 

Next day, travelled to Gilmanton, and the day following, 
had a meeting in the forenoon with Friends, and in the after- 
noon at the Academy, with the Theological Students and 
22 



254 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

others ; both to good satisfaction. On fourth day I went to 
Pittsfield, and had a meeting there the same evening, in which 
much counsel was administered. From thence, the next day, 
went to Epping, and had a little meeting there in the even- 
ing. Here I lodged with my aged friends, Benjamin and 
Abigail Folsom ; and on fourth day morning, went to the 
railway, near Exeter, N. H., and through Boston to Provi- 
dence, and lodged with my children, John T. and Sarah 
Kenyon, near Pawtucket, and the day following, going by 
railroad to Westerly, lodged there with my children, Ethan 
and Anna Foster, and next day, the oth of 3d mo., 1841, 
reached home, thankful to find my dear wife and family 
well. 

I had travelled in this winter journey, from seven to eight 
hundred miles, was preserved in good bodily health, and 
also, as I trust, in the line of Divine appointment ; and en- 
abled, in a good degree, to fulfil the service allotted me, and 
to return with the reward of peace, through the condescend- 
ing mercy and help of Him who had called for this service, 
and without which it could not have been performed to any 
profit ; and whether it has been to any, or how much, I leave 
to him who saw meet that this labor should be bestowed upon 
his people. May all the honor, and the glory, be rendered 
unto the Lord God and the Lamb, which was, and is, and is 
to come ! 

In the 4th mo., following, I went with a certificate, and at- 
tended Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, to a good degree of 
satisfaction ; after which I attended several meetings in that 
city, and some on my way returning in Bucks County. 

FROM J. W. TO THOMAS B. GOULD. 

Hopkinton, 4th mo., 7th, 1840. 

MY DEAR FKIENB, 

I have but once put my pen to paper to any of my dear friends since 
returning from my eastern journey, and that one time was to T. and E. 
Robson. To them I have written pretty fully on the signs of the times, 
and thereby obtained much relief. I believe them not to have inten- 
tionally departed from our doctrines ; but so long as they continue to 
apologize for the palpable errors of their countryman, J. J. Gurney, or 



LETTER FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY. 255 

to cherish a disposition to find fault with those who are conscientiously 
making a stand against his errors, I fear they will be in great danger. 
It seems that his upholders and supporters have made these Friends 
believe that they are perfectly sound in our ancient doctrines, and 
thereby have obtained great advantage and much influence over them. 
And I do consider this professed soundness in Quakerism, both in the 
leader and in his followers, to be the very worst feature in their whole 
system ; because it shows a great want of sincerity, and is fraught with 
such deception, that many honest minds are liable to be influenced and 
deluded thereby. I apprehend there is scarcely an iniquity among 
those professing the Christian name, more displeasing in the Divine 
sight than that of hypocrisy,— than that of men's pretending to be 
what they are not. But God will not be mocked; such as men sow, 
such shall they reap. And peradventure this heinous trait of char- 
acter prevails among none more than with those who have taken and 
grasped the lead and dominion over the professing churches of the 
Christian name, and are lording it over the heritage. But the domi- 
nation of such, over those bodies which are themselves enveloped in 
dead formality, does not seem to call so loudly for the Divine indigna- 
tion and judgment, as in cases where the Lord's sincere and living chil- 
dren are groaning under the weight of their oppressive hands. But 
these of the latter description, if their eyes and cries are singly directed 
unto him, and their whole trust is in him, and they are also endeavor- 
ing to keep the word of his patience, will not fail to witness, in time, his 
promise of deliverance verified to them. 

* * * * * I returned my eastern certificate 

to our Monthly Meeting, and produced many indorsements thereon, 
which appeared satisfactory to Friends. I then proposed to the meet- 
ing a prospect which was fresh with me whilst yet in the North, of 
attending Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, and the meeting freely cer- 
tified their unity with my going. I expect, to-morrow week, to set out 
on my journey thither. * * * * 

With much love to all your family, and all other of my dear friends 
on that island, I conclude, and remain, in great nearness, thine as ever, 

John Wilbur. 



FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY TO J. TV. 

Reigate, Surrey, 6th mo., 9th, 1840. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

I hasten to acknowledge thy letter of 2d of last month, (received on 
the 30th,) which I felt very kind, and though I too soon came to the 
end of it yet it was very acceptable ; a word in season, for had thou 



256 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

known the trials and exercises I have lately had to pass through, thou 
couldst not have written more strengtheningly. Ah ! were it not for a 
cup of cold water, as it were from time to time, handed in mercy, I 
fear some of us weak ones would be very near fainting ; for the tribu- 
lations of the present day are many and sore ! and when we, some of 
us, look around, upon our poor Society, and hear the reproaches of the 
enemy " as with a sword in our bones," we are ready to say with the 
Psalmist, " the enemy hath smitten my life down to the ground, he 
hath persecuted my soul, he hath made me to dwell in darkness as those 
that have been long dead ; therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within 
me, my heart within me is desolate ! " Yet oh, that in the midst of 
mourning we may " remember the days of old," (as he did,) meditate 
on the Lord's wonderful and gracious works, even on the mightiness of 
his power, and therefore stretch forth our hands unto him, " thirsting 
for him as a thirsty land," waiting for his counsel, for his humbling, for 
his strengthening unto all faithfulness and patience, to the very end ! 
then, surely, will he cause us to know the way wherein we should walk. 
He will enable us to do and suffer his holy will, and lead us into the 
land of uprightness ! Oh ! may we lean increasingly on him, without 
over anxiety ; for it is his work, and he will take care of his own, dear 
Church, (were not the wings of an eagle given her to make her escape 
from the dragon into the wilderness ?) and he will keep her true chil- 
dren as the apple of his eye ! Oh, the preciousness, the peaceful quie- 
tude, the powerfulness of that state of unity with the Divine will, where 
the true worship, the true amen, reigns over all trials and tribulations, 
so that nothing is a surprisal, nothing too hard, — yet the language of 
heavenly love is breathed, " Gather them if it please thee, O, most 
Mighty ! " May I be brought more and more into this state, by any 
means, is the earnest desire of my soul ! Thy last letter to Rawlinson, 
and this to me, is deeply interesting and instructive ; how encouraging 
to hear how thou wert helped over thy trials through evil report ! How 
marvellously are the faithful enabled to confront the fierce lions, yea, 
out of weakness are made strong, and given to labor in demonstration 
of the Spirit, and with heavenly power, to the strengthening the hands 
of their dear fellow-sufferers, and to the glory and praise of Him to whom, 
indeed, it alone belongs, and be it ascribed by the whole house of the 
spiritual Israel forever ! How wisely you seem to be going to work, and 
with what unanimity ! You are a more free and independent people ; 
we are so shackled by rank and custom, politeness and fear. And these 
great folks are so connected by marriage with the principal Friends all 
over our little island, and they much rule our Yearly Meeting ! Nay, 
I think I may say to thee, (for, no doubt, thou felt similarly when over 
here,) that two or three men rule the highest meetings in London, as- 



LETTER FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY. 257 

sisted by two or three women ! and our dear, country Friends cannot see 
through it, (at least, many of them,) but think all things are well, and 
they speak of the favored meeting, &c, &c. Cheshire and Staffordshire 
Quarterly Meeting sent up a proposition to the Yearly Meeting, to re- 
vise the rules respecting the revision of MSS. by the Morning Meeting ; 
it was put into the hands of a committee, (of whom Rawlinson was oiiej 
and spoke closely on the subject, I heard,) there it was handled about, 
few of our country Friends knowing the true state of the Morning Meet- 
ing, and still fewer daring to speak ! But dear George Jones did speak 
manfully, and in such a way as I hope may stick by them, and do some 
good ; although the matter ended without any alteration of the rules, 
(just as one might expect from the above overbearing,) but country 
Friends were encouraged to attend the Morning Meeting ! Oh, my 
dear friend, the worldly wisdom and policy, the manoeuvring and con- 
trivance there is amongst us in these that ought to be solemn meetings 
of weighty ministers and elders, and other exercised Friends ! But 
alas ! when people go from the lowly principle of Truth in their own 
hearts, can we marvel at any deceit or underhand doings ?***** 
I know not whether Rawlinson has answered thy last yet ; but thou 
misunderstood what he said about the Meeting for Sufferings. They are 
too much in unity with J. J. G. to wish to hear anything against him. 
What dost thou think of a member of that meeting writing a tract in 
favor of marrying first-cousins, and getting his Monthly Meeting, (a 
weak one,) to send up a proposition to the same effect to the last Quar- 
terly Meeting at London ! It seemed the general feeling that the early 
part of our Select Yearly Meeting and our men's and women's meet- 
ings were favored ; no outbreakings, the evil seemed kept down, and 
we had more quiet. But, I have been ready to think, whether the 
enemy does not hush things up in this way, in order to carry on his 
own wily purposes more hiddenly and surely. The answers were 
very low; especially, I thought, the select ones; yet the summary 
was drawn up fair, as if all was right with us. 0, I felt it was as a 
lie in our mouth ! In the second week, it seemed as if man's Wisdom 
and activity got up more, and the conclusion of each of our three above 
meetings was trying, no quiet pause, but breaking up all in a hurry, 

after several trying supplications. * * * * It is said and 

are quite come back again to ancient views ! If this were the 

case, surely a public confession, or condemnation of their outgoings 
would be the first token of amendment, or, at any rate, to keep the 
mouth in the dust. Ah! it is merely turning a new face and ap- 
pearance upward, as it were, when the root of the matter remains the 
same at the bottom ! This is what one feels, as to many amongst us, 
who speak words of ancient doctrine ; being quite turned round from 
22* 



258 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

what they once were ! But it seems like mere empty sound. There 
wants a more thorough breaking to pieces, and bringing to naught, that 
old things may be done away, and all things be made new ; for it will 
not do to be building with the old rubbish. ***** My 
health has been very declining ; last winter I was urged by my friends 
to consult a noted Dr. in Warwickshire in the spring, who told me my 
lungs are diseased ; but he hoped, by care, I might be spared awhile 
longer. His remedies were blessed to me, but, my dear friend, I am 
not sanguine, nor yet anxious, believing my times are in good hands ; 
only desiring to be made ready through redeeming love and mercy for 
the awful summons whenever sent ! I have, indeed, a sweet and peace- 
ful outward home in this retired and beautiful corner ; yet I do trust the 
better, even the heavenly home, is not out of mind, where I often long 
to be, if so I might be permitted ; and surely what unutterable grace it 
would be ! eternity would be too short to sing His praise J * * * * 
I am inclined to tell such of thy dear family as are mothers, that Mary 
Tanner, (a minister of Sidcot, where we have a public school, and 
whose eldest son, quite young, is also a minister,) was engaged in a 
sweet and instructive way, during our Yearly Meeting, to the mothers 
amongst us, advising them against a superfluous and ornamental educa- 
tion of their daughters, and alluding to the great deal of fancy needle- 
work now taught and allowed. She said she had often viewed these things 
as like taking a deal of pains in ornamenting a flower-garden, whilst the 
culture of the lowly, weighty grain of the fields, from which a satisfactory 
and enriching harvest might be expected, was neglected ! I thought there 
was much in it ; for alas ! there are many things now allowed and used 
amongst our dear young people, which are very inconsistent with the 
simplicity of the Truth, and in unison with the worldly spirit, which we 
ought to testify against. * * * * 

With dear love, I remain thy nearly united friend, 

Ltdia A. Barclay. 



FROM J. W. TO THOMAS B. GOULD. 

Hopkinton, 11th mo., 10th, 1840. 

MY DEAK FBIKND THOMAS B. GOULD, 

* * * * j st }ii f ee i t h e manv obligations which I am under to 
thee and other sympathizing Friends on your island ; and those feelings, 
I trust, are full of gratitude, and accompanied with a desire, if not a 
prayer, that the blessing of Heaven may continue to rest upon you, 
through your continued faithfulness to the best of all causes, and dwell- 
ing near to him and with him who can command the winds and the seas 



LETTER TO THOMAS B. GOULD. 259 

to be still and they will obey him ; and to them that keep the word of 
his patience, his covenant and his faithfulness are everlasting and un- 
changeable. With what confidence then may we trust in him, and 
continually call upon him in hope, in that hope which beareth up the 
plaintive mind, and rescues it from despair ! And truly, my dear 
friend, we can both say that it has been through this trust and this hope 
in the Lord's power alone, that we have been preserved from falling a 
prey to the jaws of the devourer. May we then give thanks for the mer- 
cies which we have already received, and take courage in those which 
still await us, if we will fight under his banner, and keep our eyes in- 
tently upon the ensign of his command, under which no weapon that is 
formed against us shall ever prosper. And I feel it right to acknowledge 
to thee that I have recently been a witness of the interposition of his 
providence and of his power, in covering the head of a feeble and 
sometimes almost despairing soldier in his army, and causing the arrows 
of the archers to fall harmless at his feet ; may his name be praised ! 
The committee * have not been wanting, heretofore, in apparent endeav- 
ors to provoke and to aggravate, in order, as I believe, to obtain from 
me some unguarded act or expression, of which they might take an ad- 
vantage. And now, at the Select Quarter, in order for a still greater 
effort to reproach me, J. Meader requested their appointment to be read, 
when R. Greene reported that they had endeavored to attend to their 
appointment, as way had opened for it, but that their labors had not 
as yet been attended with much success, and elicited the encouragement 
of the meeting for further service, * * * * a record of their 
report was made, and of the encouragement to proceed. But the com- 
mandment of the King was to answer them not, and so the thing 
passed over. But when I took these men and their abettors by the 
hand, at the f close of the meeting, and looked them full in the face, 
their countenances fell. However, they cited me to meet them at 3 
o'clock that afternoon, which I declined to do, perceiving them to be 
much excited, and I thought best to give them a little time to cool, and 
proposed the following afternoon or evening. * * * * But I 
feel entirely resigned to the controlling hand of Him who can permit or 
overrule all events, as in wisdom may answer best his righteous pur- 
poses. * * * * I am more and more assured that deliverance 
will be one day wrought for us, if we are wise and bold in the cause. 
******* 

Farewell, John Wilbur. 

* A committee of Rhode Island Select Quarterly Meeting, for a particular account of 
which see J. W.'s Narrative and Exposition, page 36, as well as a synopsis of the same 
in the present volume, page 277. 



260 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

FROM J. W. TO A CONCERNED YOUNG- FRIEND. 

Hopkinton, 8th mo., 2d, 1840. 



TO MY DEAK FRIEND M , 

I have thought much of thee of late, in the fresh feelings, too, of that 
love which knoweth no bounds, but goeth beyond sea and land, wherever 
those may be found who are prepared to receive and to reciprocate its 
fresh and living springs, throughout the whole family and heritage of 
the Lord's faithful children ; and I believe, my dear young friend, that 
it is thy chiefest concern so to live, and so to walk, as that he would 
deign to number thee among his chosen followers. Well, my dear, if 
thou wilt patiently endure all things for His sake who has touched 
and ravished thy heart with his heavenly love, he will not only 
number thee among those whom he delighteth to honor, but he will 
make thee his by adoption, and prepare and sanctify thy heart, and 
make it more and more a fit receptacle for the aboundings of his love 
and good presence. And if thou continuest to delight to live near 
and to dwell with him there, as well in the depths as in the heights, 
as well in his judgments as in his praise, as well in tribulation and 
peril as in a joyful deliverance from them, then will he increase 
thy experience and enlarge thy understanding in him, and in his 
wisdom and power, as well as in his unspeakable grace and tender 
mercy ; then will the seasons of living sacrifice often return, and an 
altar of praise will be dedicated to him in thy grateful heart, and a 
broken heart and a contrite spirit will be more frequent than the re- 
turning morning and the succeeding evening, offered thereon to his 
great and excellent name — even to him who is fearful in praises, 
glorious in holiness, doing wonders. And in this condition if thine 
eye is gathered from all that was created, and turned singly to him, 
thy whole tabernacle will be full of light, even the light of the Lord 
Jesus Christ, whose countenance is as the sun shining in his strength ; 
and in the radiance of this light, all things which are to be known of 
God, as said the apostle, will be manifested in man, and will direct 
thee in the way of holiness and of appointed duty ; yea, a single ray 
of this Divine light is a sure guide to those whose eyes are singly 
directed to it. And matter of great rejoicing it is that he who died 
for us, and for our reconciliation to God while we were yet sinners, 
giveth his own Divine life to us, to animate, to quicken and to make 
us alive unto God ; yea, how true the saying, that " in him was life 
and that life was the light of men." And inasmuch as that life which 
was in him was fraught with power, even so to whomsoever he giveth 
that life he giveth power to become the children of God, and the ability 



LETTER TO A YOUNG FRIEND. 261 

to do whatsoever he commands them. And I feel it like a charge to 
thee, dear child, at this time, that in the openings of this light, and by 
the pointings of this spirit, and in the strength that he giveth, whatso- 
ever he biddeth thee to do, that do, however little, and low, and igno- 
rant thou may feel thyself, for then thy strength will not be in thyself, 
but in him, and if on him thou humbly wait, and in him alone thou 
put thy trust, he will be both wisdom and strength, he will be mouth 
and wisdom, tongue and utterance, yea, he will make hard things 
easy, and bitter things sweet. And it will be given thee to see that " it 
is not in him that walketh to direct his steps," in divine things ; nay, 
it is not in the wisest, nor most learned in man's wisdom, to direct 
their steps aright in that way that leads to holiness, the end whereof 
is everlasting life. I know it is thy delight to turn thy mind inward 
and to wait upon the Lord, and I do, my dear child, heartily com- 
mend thee, for thy love of this profitable, and I may say this heavenly 
exercise, for here in this inward court the whole soul is poured out 
in continual prayer or praise, as its condition may be, and He who 
plainly sees and hears all the silent language of the inner man, will 
regard it. 

The tendency of things in our Society seems now to be outward, too 
much outward in many places, and a disposition to avoid that flesh- 
paining exercise of the cross of Christ, is sorrowfully apparent, the 
endurance whereof was seen both by the primitive Christians, and by 
our forefathers, as indispensable to the mortifying of the deeds of the 
body, so essential to regeneration and consequently to salvation, inso- 
much that true discipleship cannot be known and experienced without 
it, as demonstrated by our Lord himself — " except a man deny himself 
and take up his cross daily he cannot be my disciple " — the way and 
the only way of coming to him the Fountain of living waters, whereby 
the inner man can be sustained, refreshed, and kept alive. Great 
effort has been made and is making, great skill and ingenuity is 
brought into requisition by the wise and the learned to devise an 
easier way to Paradise, to hew out, to frame, and to build a cistern, 
or system of man's wisdom, that will be a likeness or substitute for the 
living fountain ; but alas, for such builders, their language is and will 
remain to be confounded, and they themselves will be scattered abroad 
to the unsettled opinions of those who believe not in the light and life 
and presence of the Lord Jesus, as their living instructor and director 
to the one eternal and saving power and principle of Christian redemp- 
tion, both by the way of the cross outwardly for the remission of sins 
that are past, and by the power of the cross inwardly, " the wisdom of 
God and the power of God " to the sanctifying of the will of the flesh. 

In the records of the Holy Scriptures, is to be found abundance of 



262 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

material for building, and it is ever lamentable to see how ready the 
wise of this world, and the learned in the schools of men are to lay 
hold of these materials with unhallowed hands, and to raise up mighty 
structures, beautiful and pleasing to the unsanctified vision of man, and 
to call it the temple of the Lord ; but the Lord does not own it, for 
" except the Lord build the city, he laboreth in vain that buildeth it." 
How lamentable that men of this description should have unfurled their 
ensigns within the pale of this Society, and how far more so that they 
should become influential and popular ! 

I have no doubt, my dear child that my having omitted so long (or 
rather been withheld) from writing, has been a trial to thy patience, 
but in wisdom, perhaps, designed to be profitable, and I do desire that 
every trial permitted to reach thee, may be sanctified for good, and 
prove a furtherance to every good word and work, and perhaps for the 
greater joy when he, the Good Shepherd, shall come again to speak 
peace and comfort to the weary soul, for such is the experience of thy 
unworthy correspondent; the greater the trials, and the deeper the 
provings which have been permitted to assail him, if patiently endured, 
such have been the harbingers of the greater joy and peace. Finally, 
my dear friend, I must with love unfeigned bid thee farewell, with a 
desire to hear from thee when thou feels like writing. 

I am affectionately thy friend, 

John Wilbur. 



TO THE SAME. 

Hopkinton, 9th of 3d mo, 1841. 



MY DEAR FRIEND M- 



Time rolls on so rapidly, and my engagements and correspondents 
are so numerous, that I am almost afraid some of my dear friends will 
tax me with forgetfulness and neglect ; but I desire they may make 
allowance for the length of time that intervenes, after the receipt of 
their letters, until the answer arrives ; for truly my time is not idly 
passed away. Some of my precious correspondents have to wait for 
an answer from three to six months, and even some on the other side 
of the Atlantic, a year. But on reading thy letter again this morning, it 
seemed right for me now to set apart a few moments to tell thee how 
acceptable it was, and remains to be, (for I have read it divers times,) 
so full was it of what was, and remains to be, the true characteristic 
of discipleship, of Christianity, even the love of God which is in 
Christ Jesus, coupled with meekness and humility. These, my dear 

M , are treasures of great value in the sight of God, and for 

the reason that they are derived from him, and come from that 



LETTER TO A YOUNG FRIEND. 263 

one Fountain of everlasting goodness, and are among the best of his 
gifts. 

Oh ! how many are the heavenly gifts which he mercifully bestows 
upon the faithful ! Some indeed, he bestows upon the disobedient, but 
the increase thereof is in due proportion to the faithfulness and fidelity 
of the receiver. How much encouragement then, my dear, for faith- 
fulness, for obedience, for trusting in him, for a willingness to suffer 
with him, and to endure for his great name's sake, and for his testi- 
monies' sake, all the reproaches that man may be permitted to heap 
upon us, and to bear them patiently. 

How good it is indeed, under the keenest and most aggravated suffer- 
ings, to realize the injunction of Him who suffered for us, viz : " In 
patience possess ye your souls." For it is in and through this abiding 
and increasing patience that we can possess and enjoy our souls, and 
be enabled to profit by our sufferings and afflictions. Thus it is then, 
in this day of trial and conflict, wherever men's souls are tried, that 
I greatly desire to be enabled to keep the word of God's patience, his 
everlasting patience, so that the annexed promise may be witnessed, 
" I will keep thee in the hour of temptation." 

Oh, then ! pray for us here, my dear child, that those who have hith- 
erto been mercifully preserved through the fulfilment of this blessed 
promise, may be kept henceforth from denying his name, either in the 
things which they do, or in the things which they allow ; that they may 
be furnished with wisdom to guide them aright, either in the doing, or 
not doing, and strength from the inexhaustible fountain of strength, to 
do that which is called for at their hands, to his honor and to his praise, 
and to the upholding of his testimonies and his statutes, even those 
testimonies which were so precious in the sight of God, and the raising 
of them up in the world, a matter of such vast importance, that he even 
deigned to give the lives of many who were near and dear to him as 
the apple of his eye, in purchase of them. Who then will venture, in 
frustration of his blessed purpose, to sacrifice even the least of these 
dear-bought testimonies of his upon the altars of men ? I believe the 
true doctrines and testimonies of our Society are subjects of the greatest 
hatred with the wicked one of anything that exists in this world ; and 
therefore it would seem that all the arts of deceivableness and insidi- 
ousness in his power are brought into requisition in these our days, for 
the perversion and destruction of them ; and among his intrigues, that of 
casting opprobrium and reproach upon those who stand faithful to these 
doctrines and testimonies, is not the least. And it seems here in Rhode 
Island, as it was a few years ago in New York, in those places where 
the supporters of Elias Hicks were the most numerous, they cast upon 
those who withstood his views the stigma of " disaffected," or u the dis- 



264 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

affected party," and " opposers of good order," and " intruders upon the 
harmony of Society ;" and all for the purpose of destroying their influence, 
and the good which they might otherwise do in the sustaining of our 
primitive doctrines and testimonies. Well, my dear friend, such has been 
the lot of the faithful in different ages of the world ; the most faithful to 
God's testimonies have been " numbered with the transgressors," and 
therefore we have no reason to marvel that such remains to be their 
lot in this day, wherein there seems to be little or no hesitation with 
many in upholding those who are lightly esteeming, if not perverting, the 
doctrines of Truth as ever held sacred by our Society. 

Thou seems desirous of knowing whether the afflictions that have 
befallen me have not been injurious to my health ; a thoughtfulness 
fraught with great kindness. In answer to which I can tell thee, that 
although I was considerably indisposed for most of last month with the 
epidemic which has gone through this country very much, of an affec- 
tion of the chest and lungs, commonly called a cold, yet I believe it 
was not the effect of the afflictions that have befallen me in relation to 
the preservation of our inestimable principles. It is true that on 
account of the jeopardy that seems to await them, together w r ith the 
efforts that are in operation to drive me from that post and station 
which I trust the Captain of our salvation has assigned me, that many 
deep sufferings from the arrows of the archers which have been aimed 
at me, and sometimes pierced and caused great pain for a season, have 
fallen to my lot. But blessed be the name of Him who was pierced 
before me, and for me, that I might live, he has been my physician ; 
his coming and returning presence has been a balm to my wounded 
soul ; and when he has bid me live, his word has been a word of life 
and power to me ; and behold I yet live, yet not I, for whatsoever I 
have of that which makes me live, is only and altogether from him ; and 
for the continuance of which I feel myself bound under the strongest 
obligation to trust in him, to serve him, and obey him, and to render 
unto him the praise of hitherto keeping me, inasmuch as I am sure 
without the encompassing of his power I shall never be able to endure, 
or ward off the fiery darts of the wicked one. Nor is it in him that 
walketh to direct his steps. Then how needful that we should live 
near to the Lord, and wait on him for direction, and call mightily on him 
for preservation, as well as to lie very low before him, in great meek- 
ness and humility ; for then he will teach us of his ways and guide us 
in the midst of the paths of true judgment. Oh ! for this true judg- 
ment ! Oh ! for the right discrimination ! How greatly wanting 
amongst us in this our day ! and all for want of true humility, and 
getting down to the pure witness for God in the heart. 

Ever since our first acquaintance, and during my tarriance at thy 



LETTER TO A YOUNG FRIEND. 265 

father's house, I have felt a deep interest in thy success in the journey 
heavenward ; on which I was then, and am now, sure that thou hast 
set out, and wast endeavoring to advance therein, and to make straight 
steps with thy feet thitherward. During our stay at thy uncle's that 
interest and living desire for thy preservation, progress, and growth 
in the ever blessed Truth continued and increased ; and my prayers 
at the present time are for thy enlargement in that soul-sustaining, in- 
wardly revealed knowledge of God, attained only through Him who is 
the messenger of all that is lovely, all that is holy, of all that gives con- 
solation, of all that gives wisdom and power, and of all that sustains 
the inner man. These, my dear child, are mercifully given to those 
who seek for wisdom at the hand of God in their own hearts, in such 
measure as is suited to their condition and experience ; and it is only in 
proportion to our faith, and the obedience of it, that an understanding 
of divine things is vouchsafed. Inasmuch then as it was through suffer- 
ing that our dear Redeemer wrought salvation for us both without us and 
within us, whereby his mission was made perfect, even so it is through 
the fellowship of his sufferings wrought in us, that a preparation of heart 
for the enlargement of the knowledge of divine things is made perfect ; 
not merely by his sufferings being imputed to us, as suffering for our 
sake, but also by the endurance of deep sufferings in ourselves for his 
sake, wherein only the fellowship of his sufferings is known in these 
earthly tabernacles. Now, therefore, we have no occasion to fear the 
want of knowing the divine mind and will concerning us ; if we pa- 
tiently and faithfully abide the necessary baptisms in preparation for it, 
we shall be sure to receive the necessary instructions, even all that we 
are prepared to profit by. Our way will at times be made plain before 
us, as we wait for him and wait upon him. 

I remain in the salutation of gospel love, 

thy very affectionate friend, 

John "Wilbur. 



23 



266 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 



CHAPTER V. 

ACCOUNT OF HIS SUFFERINGS, FROM THE YEAR 1840 TO 1844, FOR HIS 
TESTIMONY AGAINST UNSOUND DOCTRINES. 

[The following narrative of events, forming a most impor- 
tant portion of the travails and exercises, and deep sufferings 
of John Wilbur for the cause and testimony of Truth, is ab- 
stracted from his published " Narrative and Exposition," and 
is introduced here in the absence of any regular diary of these 
events, in the belief that his biography would be imperfect 
if omiting to elucidate this eventful period of his life.] 

Among those seeking and awakened souls, who became dis- 
satisfied with the lifeless formalities which yet remained in 
the professing Christian church after the reformation from 
Popery, was George Fox. He, through deep meditation, 
waiting upon and dwelling with God in spirit, was made a 
chosen instrument in unfolding the religion of Jesus Christ, 
more perfectly agreeable to the New Testament; and was 
endued Avith a remarkable gift of discernment of the condi- 
tion of men; and in the mystery of true godliness, that it 
stood not in form but in power. And with great meekness 
and Christian courage, he was enabled to combat the sins of 
the age in which he lived, and more clearly to instruct and to 
direct those seeking souls to the teaching of Christ in the in- 
ner man, by his light and good Spirit ; and to bring them off 
from trusting in man, and from those, who like the Papists, 
were still making a trade of the gospel, a thing unknown in 
the primitive days of the Church. 

To this faith and ministry, and to the covenant of the pure 
gospel of peace, many were gathered. These separated 
themselves from the spirit and friendship of the world, (so 
prevalent among the professors of that day,) for the purpose 
of restoring primitive Christianity in the life and power of it, 
to the purging of the consciences of men, through the inward 



REMARKS PRELIMINARY TO NARRATIVE. 267 

operations and purgations of the Holy Ghost, to the doing 
away of war, retaliation, and oppression, as well as a hireling 
ministry ; all of which had been introduced into the church 
during its degenerate condition. 

This doctrine, which inculcates the belief in Christ's teach- 
ing his people himself, and the faith that every true believer 
has access to God through him, as also the testimony against 
war and a hireling ministry, spread alarm among the clergy of 
that day. 

Hence, as the number of the Quakers increased, the clergy 
began to have fearful apprehensions as to the safety of their 
callings, or the continued enjoyment of their salaries; and 
consequently, resorted to the exercise of their influence, 
(which was then great in England,) for the purpose of dis- 
affecting the minds of the people against this, to them, new 
doctrine, of free grace, and a free ministry ; and soon suc- 
ceeded in raising a storm of persecution against these unre- 
sisting Christians. And they, the priests, successfully invoked 
the civil powers to their assistance ; so that the spoiling of 
goods, imprisonment, and even death itself was often inflicted 
upon this unoffending people ; when nothing could be laid to 
their charge, but obedience to the law of their God, in hon- 
estly promulgating the doctrines of Christ and his apostles 
as exemplified in the New Testament, and thereby carrying 
out the reformation which the first reformers had bgjgun. 

Here then were seen, Protestants inflicting persecution 
upon their fellow Protestants, (similar to that which those 
of the Roman Church inflicted upon one another,) and only 
for the reason that the latter were consummating the good 
work that the former, or their predecessors, had begun. 

But God's permission of the deep sufferings of the many 
messengers whom he had sent to bear witness for him, is no 
evidence against the validity of their mission or calling. 
Their sufferings were as seed sown, and the fruit to be gath- 
ered in God's providence in after generations, by those who 
are accounted worthy also to suffer for the name of Him who 
died for them;, whilst those who have lifted up their cruel 
hands against the Lord's humble messengers, are equally 
reprehensible, whether those messengers were prophets or 
apostles, or early Christians, or modern reformers, however 



268 JOUBNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

unsuccessful any of them may appear to have been, in obvi- 
ously reforming the church from a lapsed condition, or of 
having effected a reformation. 

One thing is very observable, that the peaceable, unresist- 
ing, and patient endurance of persecution, by our early 
Friends, as dictated by the precepts and spirit of Christ, has 
been apparently instrumental in terminating to a great extent, 
persecution among Protestants ; an influence which we have 
reason to believe has also reached the Roman Catholics. 

Persecution is a thing so heinous, and so irreconcilable 
with the law of Christ, that we may well say it was never 
inflicted by one true Christian upon another, or upon any 
other person. Discipline, the church of Christ has always 
had — not for wounding but for curing — not for the annoyance 
or restraining of him who reprobates the evil, but for reproof 
to him who doeth evil. 

But the liability of men and Christians to a declension 
and departure from the immediate government of Truth, as 
individuals and as a body, induced George Fox and his fel- 
low-helpers to institute and establish a written discipline, 
both for the church and for the members, as a guide to the 
ordering of church government, and for the deciding of all 
questions that might after arise in the Society. 

They were aware that the same liability existed in the 
primitive -church, and that a sad departure from the meek- 
ness and true Christian spirit of right government, did by de- 
grees actually take place with their successors, and saw the 
great benefit that a just and wholesome system of discipline 
set up and established during the purer condition of the 
church, under the authority of Truth, would have been to those 
who followed after, if adhered to by all. 

Under these considerations, it undoubtedly was, that the 
discerning minds of our first Friends saw the importance of 
a written system of Christian discipline, set up and established 
under the dictates of Truth, and by the consent and authority 
of the whole church collectively, for the future government of 
the Yearly Meeting, and its subordinate branches, and for the 
reproof and reclaiming of disorderly walkers, as well as for 
the praise of them that do well. 

Coincident with a written discipline, a written confession 



REMARKS PRELIMINARY TO NARRATIVE. 269 

of faith was also adopted in the Society, as exemplified in 
the writings of the first Friends, and agreed to by the whole 
Society. And these doctrines were fully recognized by the 
discipline, and summarily incorporated in it. Whosoever, 
therefore, deviated either in faith or practice, became subjects 
of dealing by the true intent of that discipline, be their out- 
ward standing or condition in the church what it might. 

Hopeful, and in a good degree successful had the adminis- 
tration of this discipline been, when in the hands of faithful 
men and women, acting under the authority and benign in- 
fluence of the spirit by which it was dictated, in guarding 
against innovation, and honestly laboring for the safety of the 
Society. 

But notwithstanding the many advantages with which the 
Society is favored, if unhappily the " leaders of the people " 
should become apostate in principle and practice, as did the 
successors of the primitive church, that excellent system of 
doctrine and discipline handed down by George Fox and his 
cotemporaries, would not govern their proceedings ; but would 
be disregarded or shaped into a mere automaton, and turned in 
an unhallowed manner to almost any direction, or made to 
serve almost any purpose that such men might choose, and 
finally be changed into an instrument of persecution ! 

Notwithstanding the great and helping hand of such a system 
of discipline, is not the deepest concernment to the church 
under our name, involved in the rectitude of the rulers, and 
in the inquiry whether this people are more secure and less 
liable to an apostasy than was the primitive church ? Is it not 
obvious that when the heads of the tribes begin to cry peace, 
peace, and to preach up the safety and infallibility of the 
church and of themselves, that the greater danger awaits it, 
as in the middle ages ? Yes ; and then it is that the watch- 
ful and faithful sentinel sees the greater cause of alarm and 
the most imminent danger. 

And how many deeply exercised and afflicted laborers could 
be named, from the days of George Fox down to the present 
time, who have watched over this people as they have watched 
over their own souls ! And how often have they trembled 
with fear for the church's safety, when they were made to see, 
in the visions of light, that an enemy had entered the camp ! 
23* 



270 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUB. 

And how faithful to give the watchword of alarm, and to cry- 
aloud for the awakening of the armor bearers, lest, while men 
slept in security, the city should be broken up ! 

The following narrative has been taken from records 
made at the time when the events took place. In the early 
part of John Wilbur's visit to England, in the year 1832, 
his mind was brought into deep exercise by the unexpected 
discovery of a spirit at work in the minds of some of the 
influential members of our Society, which appeared to him 
to be at variance with the established and well-known doc- 
trines and testimonies of Friends. As he advanced in his 
religious engagements, more and more of this spirit was 
brought to view, in a manner which led him to suspect that 
the Society was, at least in some danger, either of a retrograde 
lapse, as a body, into a similar state of things from whence it 
came out, or otherwise of a rent or division, if its members 
generally could not be awakened to the perils which awaited 
them, or induced more decidedly to rally to the standard 
which George Fox and his fellow-helpers set up against the 
spirit and friendship of the world, as well as against the cere- 
monials and false doctrines which then remained among the 
Protestant professors of Christianity. 

Finding this departure so formidable, on account of the 
talent and station of many of those concerned in it, his mind 
was brought into great distress, and mourning over the flock of 
God, once so loyal to the precepts of Christ, the Mediator of 
the New Covenant. But now alas ! in this very land where 
this standard was first set up, (after the apostasy,) a depart- 
ure from first principles was seen among some of the leading 
members; the consideration of which was very afflicting at 
times during his sojourn in that land. 

He saw the great subtlety of the enemy, (in taking advan- 
tage of the Hicksite heresy, which led off on the one side from 
the true doctrine,) working on the minds of those who were 
the most prepared to forsake the original ground of vitality ; 
.so that whilst they were guarding against a fatal lapse on 
the one hand, he might the more easily and unsuspectedly 
plung them into another as destructive on the other hand, — 
both insidious and defective in relation to the true faith in the 
offices and attributes of the Saviour of men. 



PUBLICATION OF THE BEACON. 271 

Under these circumstances and apprehensions, the author 
wrote a series of letters whilst in that country, to his friend. 
George Crosfield, which were by him published, for the pur- 
pose of apprising, at least, some of his friends, of his exercises, 
and concern, and with a desire that both of these extremes 
and departures might be avoided. 

These letters drew upon their author, as well as their pub- 
lisher, the great displeasure of those in England, who were 
disposed to confound Hicksism with primitive Quakerism. 
They came out on the eve of the publication of their avowed 
sentiments to that effect ; which they soon after published in 
a work called the " Beacon," and which also contained many 
other sentiments, which stand directly at variance with the 
fundamental doctrines of Friends. Many of the abettors of 
these opinions soon after separated themselves from the 
Society, and set up meetings of their own ; and much better 
would it have been for the Society, if all at that time, who 
held opinions discordant with its ancient doctrines, had with- 
drawn from Friends, and openly avowed their real sentiments 
on the Christian religion; if indeed they were beyond the 
reach of being reclaimed. 

Subsequently, when the author returned to America, a 
number were not wanting in New England, who instead of 
strengthening his hands in that important concern as they 
ought to have done, hesitated not to condemn his letters and 
the publication of them, and thereby much too nearly com- 
mitted themselves to the views which those letters were in- 
tended to counteract, affirming, " that the state of things in 
England was not such as called for the writing of those letters." 
They professed to know more of the state of things in that 
country, than one who had mingled largely with the Society 
there, and had held conversation with most or all of their 
principal members. 

But the coming out of the " Beacon " soon after, and the 
author of it being strongly supported, as he was, by divers 
leading and influential characters, put the question out of all 
dispute with sound Friends, that those letters were needful on 
the occasion and published at the right time, — that it was 
highly important that something of the kind should have been 
laid before the Society at that time. 



272 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

When that pernicious book called the " Beacon," so sub- 
versive of Quakerism, as well as of vital Christianity, reached 
this country, the writer of this, under the same concern, used 
his best endeavors to prevail on the Meeting for Sufferings for 
New England to testify against its sentiments, but his labors 
in this respect were unsuccessful. 

The doctrines of J. J. Gurney contained in his " Brief 
Remarks on impartiality in the interpretation of Scripture," 
are of the same cast with those of the " Beacon," by Isaac 
Crewdson, and so nearly agreeing in substance, that a wise 
man could scarcely distinguish the purport of the one from the 
other. 

Each of these writers has published doctrines essentially at 
variance with those of the religious Society of Friends, which 
being carried out and adopted, must unavoidably undermine 
Quakerism ; and it is self-evident, that whosoever openly de- 
fends or advocates either of these men, commits himself to 
and identifies himself with the doctrines of the man whom he 
thus defends against the Society, and the more especially so, 
if that defence be made upon the occasion of others oppos- 
ing such doctrines. This course has been unhappily pursued, 
and to a fearful extent, by prominent members of New Eng- 
land Yearly Meeting, to whom allusion will be hereafter made. 

It is apprehended that a loss, in a greater or less degree, of 
the virtue, life, and power of pure Christianity, had prepared 
the minds of too many in the Society of Friends, to imbibe 
sentiments at variance with true self-denial, and full con- 
formity to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, and, conse- 
quently, with his doctrines, as held and laid down by the early 
writers in our Society. That a great tendency outward, and 
to outward views and outward things, has, of late, been ap- 
parent in this once greatly favored Society, is very obvious. 
Consequently the sentiments of some writers, who have not 
known the living savor of the Divine life to predominate in 
their own hearts, (or otherwise have lost its unction,) have 
sorrowfully spread and taken root in many minds. 

Moreover, the great schism and fearful departure from the 
Christian covenant on the one hand, in the Society farther 
west, has furnished the enemy with vast and powerful 
machinery, to delude, deceive, and draw off, from the same 



SPREAD OF UNSOUND VIEWS. 273 

covenant on the other hand ; insomuch that many of those 
who were not caught in the snare of that apostasy, called 
Hicksism, have been of late in great jeopardy, by the in- 
fluence and insidious sentiments of persons of genius, high 
standing, and great learning in the schools of men, tending 
to draw away from the same gospel covenant in an opposite 
direction. 

These having lost, or never found that hidden treasure 
of this covenant, as revealed by the Divine power in the 
inner man of the heart, have taken offence at the law and 
restraints of a meek and lowly Saviour, and so far imbibed 
the spirit of this world and of the age, as to despise the fool- 
ishness of the cross, which is the power of God and the wisdom 
of God, and not of man, nor of the flesh, but of God. 

Instead of submitting, therefore, to die with Christ, and to 
abide the painful struggle of yielding up the will and wisdom 
of the flesh, these have moulded and fashioned to themselves 
a substitute, by professedly extolling and claiming the faith of 
Christ's incarnate sufferings and propitiatory sacrifice upon the 
cross without the gates of Jerusalem, as the whole covenant 
of salvation, and by him thus accomplished without them ; 
and, consequently, it is feared are carnally believing and trust- 
ing in this alone for justification, without its essential con- 
comitant, the true obedience of faith, and the work of sancti- 
fication wrought in the heart. 

These views, and many others of the like tendency, having 
been avowed and published by Joseph John Gurney, (who, 
unlike Isaac Crewdson and his followers, continued his con- 
nection with the Society, and maintained great influence 
therein,) were spread far and wide, and have been the cause 
of great uneasiness and much dissatisfaction in the minds of 
faithful Friends ; and the more, because many are found 
among us who are disposed to advocate and defend the author 
of them, without, and in the refusal of an examination of his 
published sentiments, or a comparison of them with our ac- 
knowledged and well-known doctrines. 

Some concerned Friends, who have remained at their posts, 
have watched over the " landmarks " of Israel's inheritance, 
as they have watched over their own souls, and can but trem- 
ble for the safety of the Ark of his testimonies, when, with 



274 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

their eyes, they behold the demolishing of those stakes, of 
which the good Shepherd of the fold ordained that " not one 
of them should be removed." 

And, notwithstanding what they have fearfully beheld, of 
that which they apprehended was an attempt to obliterate 
and cancel those distinguishing signals of our profession and 
its defence, they have marvelled to hear so many of the watch- 
men cry peace ! peace ! when the citadel itself is beset by a 
troop of strong men. They believe that so great a loss can- 
not otherwise be sustained, either by us or by the world 
at large, as would be sustained by the breaking down of 
our distinguishing doctrines and testimonies. Consequently, 
they see the great necessity of keeping a single eye to their 
safety, and a scrupulous watchfulness against " every appear- 
ance of evil," that may in the least forebode an apostasy of 
principle, inasmuch as such did happen, to a sorrowful extent, 
to the primitive church — the best of bodies — and that too by 
small beginnings. 

Furthermore, these concerned Friends have felt not a little 
responsibility resting upon themselves, and upon the church 
at large, by reason of the committal to its charge and keeping 
of the most exalted, efficient, and dignified principles vouch- 
safed to the hand of man in these modern times, or in any 
age of the world, because they are the same as committed to 
the primitive church, in that all relates to Christian redemption 
and salvation. And they have also felt something of the 
weight of that appeal which was made of God to his servant, 
the Prophet Ezekiel, chap. iii. 28 ; also xxxiii. 8, 9. " If thou 
do not warn my people from their ways, they shall die in their 
iniquity, but their blood will I require at thy hands," &c. 

Moreover, the late attempts at innovation, by those above 
alluded to, speak loudly as a warning to us of the jeopardy 
which awaits us as a people ; for our unfaithfulness and dis- 
loyalty to the blessed Truth is such, that Satan appears to 
have availed himself of the advantage of our relaxation, and 
seems resolved to divide and scatter us from the true faith ; 
still we hear the cry of peace ! still we hear the language of 
safety reiterated among us ! still we see a prevalent disposi- 
tion to trust in man, and to make flesh our arm ! 

J. J. Gurney, on his visit to America, came to New Eng- 



ARBITRARY CONTROL OF LEADERS IN NEW ENGLAND. 275 

land, in the 6th month, 1838, and found the ground already 
prepared in many minds to receive and defend him, notwith- 
standing the defection of his doctrines. 

The persons whose minds had been thus prepared, had evi- 
dently been for some years seeking control over New England 
Yearly Meeting, and its concerns, in which they had been suc- 
cessful ; and being men of influence, and disposed to avail 
themselves of all means within their reach, (which were not 
in any wise very limited,) whereby to clothe themselves with 
rule and with power, have drawn many to them, or after 
"them, by their proffered friendship, by promotion in appoint- 
ments, by the honor of man, and by temporal favors, be- 
stowed in many ways. By these means they have encom- 
passed (however unsuspected their object by many) a great 
proportion of those who were active members, as well as 
others, and have promoted and made active, many who were 
not so before. 

And those who have not fallen into these new views, have 
not been desirous of office or control in the church, and con- 
sequently have not put themselves or one another forward 
much for appointments ; and, more especially of late, perceiv- 
ing a disposition in those of the new ground to exclude them, 
have mostly refrained from action. And latterly in the 
Yearly Meeting, these were entirely excluded from taking a 
part in its concerns, by the supporters of unsound men and 
their doctrines deciding to reject from any service the names 
of all such as had expressed themselves opposed to their pre- 
vious proceedings, thus declaring such out of unity ; a meas- 
ure which had already been adopted and acted upon by 
Rhode Island Quarterly Meeting. 

Those who had thus assumed the control in the Yearly 
Meeting, formed, from their own number, standing committees 
therein, as also committees of Rhode Island Quarterly Meet- 
ing, and clothed themselves with authority to visit and control 
subordinate meetings, and consequently to control the relig- 
ious rights of all their members ; and these committees have 
not been backward in exercising this authority. And further, 
the Yearly Meeting, through their influence, of late made its 
committee's advice and decisions conclusive and final ; so 
that appeals from their advice, either by individuals or sub- 



276 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

ordinate meetings, to the Yearly Meeting, have been unavail- 
ing, however contrary to discipline their advice or decisions 
may have been. 

In the 11th month of 1839, John Wilbur felt himself bound 
under a religious concern, to visit most of the Quarterly Meet- 
ings in the Yearly Meeting ; and was cordially liberated by 
his own Monthly Meeting for that service. After having 
visited one Quarter and some of its subordinate meetings, he 
was cited by one of these committees, to appear before a de- 
putation from their body. But their letter not arriving sea- 
sonably for him to meet them at the time and place assigned, 
he called on the writer of that letter as he passed on in pur- 
suance of his journey. His having made a stand against the 
new doctrines by writing to some ministers and elders, as well 
as by conversation, was alleged by the writer of the letter 
as a disqualification for travelling in the ministry ; but J. 
W. was enabled to convince him that he ought to be left at 
liberty to pursue his journey — and he did so. 

When J. J. Gurney first arrived in New England, there was 
a report in circulation that he had made satisfaction to his 
friends at home on account of his exceptionable writings ; but 
J. W. being aware, through direct communications from Eng- 
land, that the report was unfounded, (a matter of great 
importance for the Society to know,) took an opportunity 
with him,* and informed him of the apprehensions of many 
Friends in regard to his sentiments, as set forth in his books, 
and so extensively abroad in the Society ; and suggested to 
him the desirableness of his satisfying Friends in relation to 
such of his doctrines as were not in conformity with our 
acknowledged principles, and thereby open his own way 
among us. 

But instead of giving any encouragement of doing so, he 
entered into a prompt defence and justification of all his writ- 
ings, without exception. 

In consequence, therefore, of the result of J. W.'s visit to 
the author, he believed it to be his religious duty to caution 

* The first interview of J. W. with J. J. G. on account of uneasiness with his sen- 
timents, was in London during their Yearly Meeting in 1832, in presence of Jonathan 
Hutchinson, and George and Ann Jones, in which no satisfaction was obtained. This 
latter interview was at Newport in the 6th mo. 1838, in presence of Henry Hinsdale of 
New York. 



PRETEXT FOR APPOINTING A COMMITTEE. 277 

Friends, on suitable occasions, against receiving or imbibing 
the unsound doctrines alluded to ; and at the same time mak- 
ing direct reference to some of the most exceptionable among 
them. 

On John Wilbur's return from his eastern visit, he produced 
certificates from all the Quarterly and Monthly Meetings 
which he attended, expressive of their satisfaction with his 
services among them. And soon after his return from this 
journey, he obtained the concurrence of his Monthly Meeting 
and attended the Yearly Meeting in Philadelphia. 

But his travelling as a minister, on account of his objection^ 
to those doctrines, was displeasing to those who were sup- 
porting and defending the author of them. 

It being apparently too much of a circumstance frequently 
to call together the committee of the Yearly Meeting of 
Ministers and Elders ; and further, as the committee of the 
Yearly Meeting at large was not authorized to recognize 
ministerial service, a way was devised to get a committee ap- 
pointed in the Select Quarterly Meeting ; and if practicable, 
to be vested with authority to take hold of him, and to stop 
his speaking against the doctrines of J. J. Gurney, or travel- 
ling as a minister. 

To effect this, deficient accounts were brought up in rela- 
tion to unity, from two subordinate meetings, where them- 
selves predominated, and under the pretension of bestowing 
labor in the cases referred to in those accounts, a committee 
was appointed, ostensibly for the restoration of unity and har- 
mony.* Howbeit, if their own confession is sufficient evi- 
dence, we are warranted in saying, that they never attempted 
any labor of the kind, whatever, within the limits of those two 
meetings from which the defective accounts came up. 

John Wilbur was called upon to meet this committee the 
next morning after its appointment ; and they artfully at- 
temped to make him a subject of dealing, and to decoy him 
to place himself within the purview of their appointment, by 
asking him the question, " whether he believed any of the 
members of our Select Meeting were unsound ? " expecting, 
as was supposed, an affirmative answer ; and if so, then here, 

* The accounts which went up at this time from South Kingston Monthly Meeting, 
to which J. W. belonged, were unexceptionable as to unity. 
24 



278 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

as they might think, would be a case of disunity fairly within 
their reach. But their object was seen, and the question not 
answered, although all the committee, save one, joined in 
pressing him to answer it. Being defeated in this, they se- 
verely reprimanded him for having been to Philadelphia, ac- 
cusing him of having known that they were unwilling he 
should travel in the ministry. But this charge, of knowing it, 
he was able to meet, by adducing what some of them had 
said to him and others, during his eastern journey. One of 
the committee had said, in a letter to his daughter, that " they 
had no desire to stop his travelling' in the ministry" and an- 
other, who met with him on the journey, said " he was glad 
to meet with him there." 

But they brought many other complaints and accusations 
against him, of which the principal was, that " he had written 
and spoken against J. J. Gurney, and had spread long lists of 
extracts from his doctrines." 

He now informed them that he had not spoken to the dis- 
advantage of J. J. G., otherwise than by a recital and disa- 
vowal of some parts of his doctrines ; and in order to show 
them that those parts of his writings to which he had made 
exceptions were unsound, and consequently that the course 
which he had taken was correct and agreeable to discipline, 
he proposed reading to them the extracts which they had 
charged him with spreading. 

But they were unwilling to hear him read these extracts, 
and conceded there might possibly be some things in the 
manner of J. J. Gurney's expressions that would be deemed 
exceptionable. But J. W. insisted on reading these extracts, 
in order that the committee might know how unsound his doc- 
trines were, (believing that his defence rested upon their de- 
merits,) but the committee appeared exceedingly unwilling to 
allow the reading of them, and the dilemma in which they 
were now placed, apparently drew from David BufTum, one 
of their number, the expression, " I acknowledge that some 
of J. J. Gurney's writings are very unsound." But for this 
imprudence, he was immediately jogged by John Meader, one 
of his colleagues who sat near him, and who dissented from 
his concession, by saying, " /should not have said so." 

Finally, they utterly refused to hear his defence or the read- 



LETTER TO T. ANTHONY. 279 

ing of the extracts from Gurney's doctrines, and gave him 
very little opportunity of any oral vindication of himself in 
relation to the charges brought against him, by reason of their 
own claims upon the time ; freely and in close succession 
bestowing upon him their censures, and demanding from him 
immediate concessions, accompanied with the advice " to stay 
at home and be quiet." And so this interview ended. 

Thus being denied a full and fair personal hearing, which 
truth and justice always allows, even to the greatest offenders, 
John Wilbur addressed the following letter to Thomas An- 
thony, the first-named of the committee, with whom he had 
previously stood in the relation of great intimacy. 

Hopkinton, 30th of 5th mo., 1840. 

TO MY DEAR FRIEND, THOMAS ANTHONY, 

After thus allowing time for solid deliberation on the subject of dis- 
cussion with Friends at thy daughter's, it seems right for me to address 
a few lines to thee in relation thereto, inasmuch as I had not full oppor- 
tunity in the end to speak for myself, by reason of the claims of others 
on the time, as well as the want of time ; thou wilt, I apprehend, allow 
me the opportunity of reviewing it in this way, and to remark further 
upon the charges brought against me ; and, as I trust, will hear me 
patiently, seeing that vastly more is involved in the consideration of 
the question than merely the exculpation or condemnation of an indi- 
vidual, without allowing him the right, both civil and religious, of a 
defence, not only of himself, but of the testimonies and usages of the 
Society, such as truth and justice call for. 

Thou art well aware that even in the civil department, the laws of 
the land allow the accused a defence of himself, in all the bearings of 
his case, and, not only so, they premise, if need be, that he should be 
provided with counsel, lest unhappily the innocent should be adjudged 
guilty. And in the religious department, thou wilt agree that a still 
higher and purer order of justice and righteousness is contemplated, 
for beyond all controversy, such is the true character of Christianity, 
and its superiority over every other system of moral or civil order in- 
stituted by the children of men. 

But when we become acquainted with the history of ecclesiastical 
transactions since the Christian era, we are bound to acknowledge that 
the civil has never been more abused than the religious, under the 
dominion of power. 

But to come directly to the question, and the capacity in which 
Friends acted, I deem it right for me to remark, that I might suppose 



280 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

they acted as individuals under an apprehension of the necessity of the 
case, and not as a committee of the Select Quarterly Meeting; for the 
appointment of the committee was grounded, and only grounded, (if I 
understand it,) upon deficiencies represented in the answers to the que- 
ries from the subordinate meetings, and, consequently, Friends could 
not, as a committee of that meeting, extend care to any meeting, or to 
a member of it, which gave no account of deficiencies in relation to 
things queried after; and no tangible inference can be drawn from that 
of South Kingston, (however it may be in others,) that there docs any 
want of harmony or unity exist in that meeting ; and which I esteem 
a- a favor, for which we are bound to be thankful. But I am entirely 
prepared to say, that I ever hope to be willing to receive advice either 
from committees or individuals, acting conformably to the mind of 
Truth, and the order established in our Society. 

But are Friends now prepared to evacuate the ground which has 
been taken, viz: that a certificate for a nmu to travel as a minister is 
a full defence to him, against all comers in relation to whatever may 
have transpired previous to the issuing of that certificate ? Or will 
they say that the deputed right of one body shall be regarded, and that 
of another may be disregarded and contemned? And does it rest with 
committees or others, not delegated for that special purpose by the 
Yearly Meeting itself, to arrest the established right and order which 
that body has conferred upon its subordinate branches ? Or shall these 
things yet rest upon their ancient foundation and usage, that when a 
minister, though liberated by an authorized body, is found defective 
either m faith or conduct, and for which satisfaction has not been made, 
that he shall be liable to be called to an account, by those whose con- 
stituted duty it is, under whatsoever circumstances he may have placed 
himself, or others may have placed him ? 

By this rule, my dear friend, I am entirely willing to be tried and 
judged, but not upon mere hearsay, or vague allegations and reports — 
not for the alleged faults or imprudence of others ; nor yet without a 
hearing upon the great point and premises of the case, to wit: the stand 
which I have taken against the erroneous doctrines which are spread 
abroad among us by their author, both before and since his liberation 
for our land. And whatever I have said or done in the case, relates 
unequivocally to those doctrines ; and, consequently, the merits or de- 
merits of that course rests upon the soundness or unsoundness of those 
doctrines, as will be shown further on ; and 1 hesitate not to say, that 
the present dissension in the Society at large. i< the legitimate fruits of 
the circulation, and the author's continued adherence to the doctrines 
alluded to. And my concern has been, (as I told Friends when to- 
gether,) that those sentiments might be clearly developed and faithfully 



LETTER TO T. ANTHONY. 281 

reprobated, so that the fearful consequences of such dissension might 
be obviated. 

But if these baneful doctrines, or their unrelenting author, which is 
the same thing, are continued to be advocated and defended, we have 
reason to fear that serious difficulties will ensue ; because there is no 
doubt there are some, and perhaps not a few in this Yearly Meeting, 
who cannot be brought to the adoption of such sentiments, come what 
may come. And inasmuch, as great wrong has been inflicted upon the 
Truth, and its principles, who, thinkest thou, my dear friend, will find 
the most peace of mind in the result of things ? Will it be those, who, 
out of a good conscience, have withstood those innovations, (though 
perhaps not always in the most perfect line of Divine wisdom,) or those 
who have defended such views by strenuously advocating and warmly 
defending, and thereby giving strength to their author, and by endeav- 
oring to put down those who have honestly withstood his sentiments ? 

How any can defend an unsound man, at the expense and rejection 
of those who are sound, and yet be acting upon sound principles, is a 
problem which I very much desire to see demonstrated, if demonstrated 
it can be. 

I will now remark upon the charges brought against me, and how- 
ever trivial some of them are, and unreasonable others appear to me, 
yet, as they have been deemed by ministers and elders to be worth 
naming, they will be recognized, by way of a defence and apology, 
for the course I have taken. 

1st. That I have frequently, in conversation and in writing, repro- 
bated some of the sentiments of J. J. Gurney, and even on some occa- 
sions when abroad in the ministry. To this charge, so worded, I 
confess guilty, if guilt is attached thereto ; and, in remarking upon it, 
I will first ask thee, Thomas, whether thou will admit that a professed 
minister abroad could be chargeable with doctrines so dangerous as to 
warrant such procedure? 

2d. Whether the doctrines of Hannah Barnard and Elias Hicks 
were so exceptionable as to warrant a watchword to the churches 
under similar circumstances ? 

3d. Whether Moses and the prophets were warranted, in so full and 
so public a manner as they often did, in testifying against the abuses of 
the doctrines and commandments of the former covenant ? 

4th. Whether the apostle Paul and George Fox did right in pub- 
licly withstanding and marking those who caused divisions by intro- 
ducing doctrines contrary to the doctrines of Christ ? 

The apostle, it seems, in his public epistle, entreated his brethren, 
without distinction of age or standing, and without exception to any 
circumstance, to mark those which cause divisions and offences, con- 
24* 



282 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

trary to the doctrines which they have learned, and to avoid them. 
Rom. xvi. 17. And so we shall find, if we examine the Holy Scrip- 
tures, that both prophets and apostles were prompt and vigilant, in de- 
tecting and exposing, as well as in exterminating everything which 
stood at variance with the Lord's doctrines and testimonies, whether 
seen in kings, princes, or prophets, (however reprehensible such detec- 
tion was deemed by those in power,) a procedure led to by the inspira- 
tion and commands of God. For it was seen then, as it in some degree 
is seen now, that human nature is so propense to ease, and to overlook 
the needful restraints of true religion, that a guard against the inlet of 
evil was continually needful. 

But one of our Friends said, that he acknowledged the doctrines in 
question were very unsound, but afterwards said he thought we ought 
to give a pass to their author. But truly he could not have meant to 
have been understood to say, that the Yearly Meeting ought to give 
him a eertificate of unity, for, in so saying, he would exhibit an opinion 
different from that of the apostle, when he was speaking of those who 
brought in doctrines contrary to the doctrines of Christ ; for, said he, 
" He that biddeth him God speed, is a partaker of his deeds." 

2d charge. That I knew the Yearly Meeting's committee were un- 
willing that I should travel in the ministry ; therefore, I ought not to 
have gone to Philadelphia. To which I need to say no more than to 
refer to thy expression to a Friend ; to Thos. Howland's own handwrit- 
ing, and to J. Meader's language to me at Dover Quarterly Meeting, 
all amounting to this, that the committee had no desire to stop my 
going on the proposed visit ; besides which, I had never heard from 
them — how, then, can the committee make this charge ? 

3d charge. That they understood that I had favored the idea of 
a division of the Yearly Meeting; which was so fully answered at 
thy daughter's, viz: That no one among us, to my knowledge, had 
labored more to keep Friends in New England to the one faith, even 
to that alone which would keep us together, and prevent our being 
scattered ; [showing] that a disagreement in principle is the root of 
schism. 

4th charge. That I have companied with some young men, who 
have made a stand against the unsound sentiments of J. J. Gurney ; 
to which I confess judgment ; and that I have also companied with 
some who are not young, but have the same opinions of the same man. 
But I would say, that I believe these with whom I have companied, 
and who have taken the same ground, would not suffer in point of char- 
acter in a comparison with others. 

5th charge. That I suffered Thomas B. Gould to go with me, as 
companion, to Philadelphia. That he went in company with me, as did 



LETTER TO T. ANTHONY. 283 

divers other Friends, I acknowledge ; but that he went with me as a 
companion, in the way that this phrase is understood by Friends, is 
altogether unfounded ; nor did he pass for such at any place where we 
were ; nor George F. Read either, though he lodged with me every 
night at Philadelphia, and is also a sound Friend ; nor am I ashamed 
to be in company with either of them ; although neither may be with- 
out his faults — nor yet myself — did not think of its being any disgrace 
to be seen with them. 

6th charge. " That I suffered letters and extracts from John Barclay 
and Ann Jones to pass through my hands to others." In answer to 
this, I would ask, whether it would be more harm to quote English 
authority against very unsound doctrines, or to quote English authority 
in defence of very unsound doctrines ? And I would ask again, whether 
there has not been a great deal done throughout our settlements in 
America, in spreading English and other letters in commendation of 
this very unsound man ? I say unsound man, for he yet adheres to his 
unsound doctrines. Again, whether thy colleagues are so much dissat- 
isfied, and do find as much fault with letters which go to give currency 
to the author of these very unsound doctrines, as they do with letters 
which go to expose and detect them ? 

7th charge. " That I said to N. Monroe, that J. J. Gurney would 
not dare to come to New England." Now we know the difficulty 
of proving a negative ; — but I will say, that I was at Monroe's, and 
probably said something in relation to the man ; but in how many and 
what kind of words, I cannot now recollect ; however, as I know that 
I never had the least expectation of our escaping a visit from him, it 
looks so altogether unlikely that I used that form of words, that I feel 
safe in demurring to the charge ; however little or nothing could be 
made of it, if I had so spoken, more than that I was mistaken. 

Now, if we take all these accusations into view, my dear Thomas, 
which of the things complained of would not be affected, in point of 
right or wrong, either by the soundness or unsoundness of the doctrines 
of J. J. Gurney ? When you say that I have spoken against his doctrines 
— that I have written against his doctrines — that I have suffered to 
pass through my hands letters which go to discourage the imbibing of 
his doctrines, and to warn of the consequences of doing so — that I have 
companied with others who protest against his doctrines, you say truly ; 
and yet wonderful it is to hear you further say, that his unsoundness of 
doctrine has nothing to do with my defence for doing so ! ! ! And as 
wonderful, that pertinent evidence, offered in defence of the rectitude of 
the course taken, sufficient to exculpate from blame thy correspondent, 
should be refused ! ! ! I say sufficient, because the refusal of hearing 
that evidence, probo factum, gives to me the right of this assumption. 



284 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

But you seem inclined to resort to the abstract doctrine, that a cer- 
tificate from a corresponding body or Yearly Meeting ought to defend 
him against all charges for wrongs done previous to the date of that 
document. For a full refutation of which position, I refer to my letter 
to John Header. 

But inasmuch as some continue to advance an abstract proposition, 
you will admit an abstract solution. 

In the civil department, we are an independent nation, yet are on 
good corresponding and commercial terms with Great Britain ; and let 
us suppose that one of their trading vessels had heretofore, by means 
of an inclination thereto, and a strong armory, made many captures 
and had committed many wrongs upon the rights and property of the 
American people. 

However, in process of time, the same vessel, having escaped retri- 
bution, obtains regular papers for a general trading voyage to our land. 
Now, I would inquire whether it would be any breach of good faith 
towards Great Britain, civilly to ask the commander of this vessel to 
make reparation for the wrongs which he had done us ? Or whether 
it would be reprehensible in any of our citizens, to speak of the wrongs 
which that vessel had committed upon us, when those wrongs were 
clearly provable by the register of the vessel, and had been fearlessly 
published by the commander throughout all the trading companies in 
the country ? Or whether it be a breach of faith for our government 
to refuse to give her returning papers, and a protection upon the high 
seas, until she would make reparation for the wrongs which she had 
done us ? And inasmuch as worldly property and civil rights bear no 
proportion to religious principles and Christian rights, the civil depart- 
ment could not possibly sustain an equal loss by means of the strongest 
ship upon the high seas, as would be incurred by our Society in the 
striking out of even but two or three of the fundamental and distin- 
guishing articles from our confession of faith, as apparently aimed at by 
the person alluded to. But let us stop a moment, and inquire whether 
there have not been some depredations committed during the present 
visit. 

First, he justifies his former wrongs, which revives and restores 
them to the present tense, and refuses to make the least concession of 
them. 

Second, he has himself been spreading defective books since his 
arrival in America. I saw one which he presented to a Friend, with a 
note desiring his acceptance of it, dated Philadelphia, 8th month, 1837, 
and signed with his own hand — a book recommending a form of 
prayer, and public discoursing upon Christianity, distinct from the 
ministry. This is said not to be a solitary instance. And besides his 



LETTER TO T. ANTHONY. 285 

spreading unsound books since his arrival, many defective ideas of 
doctrine have escaped him in the Gallery; the which, if collected 
with the like industry as has been obvious in some other instances, the 
catalogue would be very considerable. 

Now, my dear friend, pause for a moment, and see ; one man can 
write, and preach, and spread very unsound doctrines, and still receive 
the warm support, or defence of both ministers and elders among us ; 
whilst another, who is afflicted because of the jeopardy which awaits 
our Society, by means of the spreading of these unsound sentiments, 
and ventures to bear witness against them, is consigned to reproach ! 
However, this case is not entirely new ; there have been honest Friends 
heretofore, and undoubtedly better than thy correspondent, greatly re- 
proached and defamed for withstanding unsound doctrines, and even 
disowned ; and to what extremity this may come, the Lord only knows. 
But there is one thing which I desire, and another which I lament. 
The former is, that I may be reconciled to whatever sufferings may be 
permitted to fall to my lot, in the discharge of duty, and myself made 
to profit by it. The latter is, that I am not more worthy to suffer for 
the Truth, and for its doctrines and testimonies. But I might well say, 
that a releasement from labor, if the enjoyment of peace and quietness 
were bestowed, must be esteemed a great favor. 

To be released from the labors and dangers of the field, and yet be 
permitted to divide the spoil, is a privilege of God's own conferring. 
That precious peace and quietness, which is the reward of honest labor 
in the field, is nevertheless the fruit of his abundant grace ; how much 
more, then, that which fills the heart with peace and joy in its private 
exercise and retirement in the house of prayer, and under its own vine 
and fig-tree, must be of unutterable love. 

And, however he who serveth at the altar receives his portion of 
the gift, yet, if God be pleased to release from the service for a time, 
as he often did our first Friends, and though it were by means of the 
secular power, yet it undoubtedly contributed to their furtherance, and 
greater depth in the power of the cross of Christ — his name be praised ! 
And my confidence in thee is such, that it will not be perilling the 
pearl to acknowledge to the unbounded grace of a good and merciful 
God, through Christ Jesus, in vouchsafing to his weak and unworthy 
messenger, in his late journeys, a greater fulness of strength and under- 
standing, in speaking of the things of his own kingdom, and power, and 
glory, than he ever saw meet to bestow before ; and my enjoyment, 
subsequent to many of these seasons, was inexpressible. And the 
praise and the glory was and is, as I trust, wholly rendered unto him ; 
for I clearly saw that it was entirely of him ; and to him it was ren- 
dered, in language both utterable and unutterable. And it has been, 



286 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

and remains to be, to me an evidence, not to be despised, that my good 
God has owned and does own my sincerity in bearing a faithful testi- 
mony against " every appearance of evil," and innovation, upon our ines- 
timable testimonies, both in the times of our former,* and our present 
troubles and dangers. And that it is his will that I should do so, does 
not rest [wholly] upon his unmerited favors abroad (as evidence), but 
peace and quietness have succeeded to the fulfilment of apprehended 
duty in that respect at home. 

Nor was I ever more clearly instructed, than in these late journeys, 
in relation to the opening and shutting of the fresh springs of the gos- 
pel ministry. In one large public Quarterly Meeting, and in several 
other large meetings, the ministry was to me "as a spring shut up, 
a fountain sealed," for which I could assign no other reason than 
that the good Master would have it so. But in the same Quarterly 
Meeting for business, which was held the next day, a very unusual flow 
of the gospel life and power (for me) was witnessed in both the men's 
and women's meeting. 

The two or three exceptionable doctrines of J. J. G-urney, alluded to 
above, might be selected from the many, under the following heads : — 

1st. That the gospel of Christ, is not in itself the power of God 
unto salvation. 

2d. That men are justified by faith, without regard to obedience. 

3d. That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh 
into the world, he construes to mean no more than Christ incarnate, 
" the enlightener." Let all imbibe these three items of doctrine, and 
Quakerism would be no more. 

Having a little room yet left upon this sheet, I will occupy it with a 
few extracts from a piece in my possession on church order, as follow- 
eth: — 

" It would appear to be at variance with the very nature of things, 
as well as the right order of church government, and the spirit of 
Christian discipline, to suppose that a person can place himself, or that 
others can place him under such circumstances, as that he cannot be 
reprehended for a breach of faith in the promulgation of sentiments 
perversive of the established and fundamental doctrines of a religious 
society to which he belongs. 

" If a way has been found in which a person can be securely shel- 
tered and protected, under an obvious and public violation of the doc- 
trines of his own society, (without concessions,) then, indeed, it would 
seem that innovation upon its principles may be considered inevitable, 
and without a remedy. 

" If a religious body has no alternative, but to unite with and to 

* Hicksite troubles. 



NARRATIVE RESUMED. 287 

give currency to the religious and official standing of such person, then 
would it be in vain to hope for the preservation of the purest system 
of Christianity, or the best confessions of faith. 

" But the Truth itself, it is presumed, has never placed a man in such 
a condition, that his errors, whether doctrinal or practical, could not 
be rightly recognized and reprobated, so long as they remain unre- 
tracted. 

" Hence, it cannot be supposed that anybody, acting in conformity to 
the Truth, should be understood intentionally to approve, or give cur- 
rency to doctrines which are at variance with the Truth ; nor that any 
rightly qualified person can be reprehensible for detecting wrongs 
which have been inflicted upon the Truth, and its principles, and doc- 
trines, as exemplified in the Holy Scriptures, from the beginning to the 
end ; nor do we find, in those sacred records, that the names of those 
who had committed depredations upon the Truth are spared. 

" By the exercise and dictates of Truth's principles, it was that good 
order and wholesome regulations were originally instituted and estab- 
lished in the Society of Friends, for the protection and security of its 
doctrines, as well as for the support of its moral economy ; hence it is 
not to be believed, that a wise and discreet exercise of that order can 
ever lead to the strengthening or upholding of error, or the justification 
of wrongs committed against the author of that order, to wit, the prin- 
ciple of Christianit} r . 

"Therefore, any proceedings under a profession of sustaining that 
order, if their tendency is to strengthen the wrongs done to that prin- 
ciple which brought all good order into existence ; then such proceed- 
ings, so far from being the right support of good order, are but the 
abuse of order, and can be accounted of no better than an attempt to 
support order at the expense of principle, the parent of order. 

I am thy friend, J. W." 

To this letter, both himself and his colleagues declined alto- 
gether to make any reply, or to attempt a refutation in writ- 
ing ; yet they did not fail to resort to personal declamation 
and high-sounding words, in an interview which they called 
for, in the early part of the Yearly Meeting at Newport, 1840, 
with an evident design to alarm him, and to induce him to 
condemn, not only the course which he had taken, but also 
the letter which he had written to them ; and because he hesi- 
tated, conscientiously doing so, they cast upon him many re- 
proaches, and the epithet of stubbornness, and a disposition 
to resist his friends and the good order of society. They also 



288 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

now denied the intimation in the letter, that one of their 
number had said that some of J. J. Gurney's doctrines were 
very unsound. And D. Buffum himself denied ever saying 
any such thing. And they further declared, that no one would 
know, by reading the letter, anything about what transpired 
at their meeting at Greenwich. 

During these interviews, in which the committee evinced 
much excitement, J. W. was favored to endure their re- 
proaches and revilings without reviling again, and to make 
no concession or compromise of principle. 

The fourth meeting of the committee, with some additions 
to their number, was held at Portsmouth, R. I., and J. W. was 
cited again to meet with them, which he did. 

The committee now attempted reading extracts from his 
letter to them, against which they were intending to join 
issue ; but he objected to their reading extracts from his letter 
without first reading the ivhole letter, and the more, because 
a number of the committee now present had never become 
acquainted with its contents, except by hearsay ; and because, 
also, T. Anthony, one of their number, had told him that he 
had placed upon it, with pen and ink, the inscription of false- 
hood. J. Wilbur's arguments for either reading the whole let- 
ter or else for not reading the extracts from it, though strongly 
opposed by some, finally prevailed. 

After the letter was read, some attempts were made (though 
feeble) to read extracts from it, in order for refutation, but in 
this course they proceeded not far, as J. W. now called for 
their objections in writing, both to the course which he had 
taken in the first place, and to the letter itself, distinctly and 
severally giving their reasons for such objections. 

This seemed to throw the committee into considerable dis- 
order, after which their proceedings were irregular and des- 
ultory. At one time they would declaim against his making 
a defence against his friends, and at another time they would 
accuse him of having taken false premises in his letter ; and 
again, D. Buffum came forward in a denial of saying at Green- 
wich, " that some of J. J. Gurney's writings were very un- 
sound," and attempted to change the ground, by now adopt- 
ing this version of it, to wit, " For argument sake, I will admit 
that some of J. J. Gurney's writings are very unsound." And 



INTERVIEWS WITH COMMITTEE. 289 

John Meader, who jogged him at Greenwich, and remarked, 
"/should not have said so," now responded to the truth of his 
present version of it, and said, I remember these were David's 
expressions. Why, then, asked J. W., didst thou jog David 
at Greenwich, and say, " I should not have said so ? " But 
before this query, to which John Meader made no reply, sev- 
eral of the committee had indorsed his present statement of it. 

Finally, as Andrew Nichols had said nothing to this dis- 
puted point, they called on him to testify in regard to it ; and 
though a diffident man, he did say to David, the words which 
thou hast now prefixed, were not prefixed at Greenwich, thy 
words then were, " I acknowledge that some of the doctrines 
of J. J. Gurney are very unsound." And so ended this part 
of the discussion. 

After having been together near four hours, they began to 
talk of what course should be taken, inasmuch as the object 
of their meeting had not been attained. Two of the com- 
mittee proposed to burn the papers and drop the subject alto- 
gether ; but others hesitated. J. Wilbur had complained of 
the injustice and severity of their charges thrown out against 
him, of the aspersion of falsehood indorsed upon his letter, 
saying, that he had never, in speaking of them, or of J. J. 
Gurney, made use of such language. In answer to which 
T. A. said, " I don't think that John Wilbur meant to say any- 
thing in that letter which was untrue." J. W., after repeating 
his request to be furnished with their complaint in writing, 
withdrew, in order to remove all embarrassment from their 
deliberations. 

From this time J. W. heard nothing of the intentions of 
the committee until the holding of the Select Quarterly Meet- 
ing at Somerset, in the 11th. month following, wherein his 
sufferings were by no means inconsiderable in consequence of 
their bringing the case to view before that meeting; but 
silence was believed to be his lot and ground of safety. 
After meeting, he was called upon to meet them that after- 
noon at three o'clock ; but not feeling ready in his own mind 
therefor, and having other good reasons, he declined an inter- 
view on that day, but informed them that he would wait on 
them the next day, or at any future time, as they would best 
like. Accordingly he was notified the next day, after Q,uar- 
25 



290 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

terly Meeting, to meet them on the following morning at the 
Boarding School at Providence, to which he agreed, and met 
them there accordingly on 6th day morning, the 6th of 11th 
month, to wit, six men and two women. And after a short 
pause Rowland Greene rose and said, that passing over J. W.'s 
speaking of a Friend travelling in the ministry to his disad- 
vantage, they would proceed to read such passages from his 
letter as were not satisfactory to the committee, and so pro- 
ceeded to read them. To which objections J. W. now felt at 
liberty to make some remarks and to reply somewhat in course ; 
but w T ithal again claiming the right of being put in possession 
of their objections on paper. 

With a view of sustaining their charge of falsehood against 
his letter they had taken the ground at a former interview, 
that their censure of him was not for objecting to Jos. J. Gur- 
ney's doctrines^ but for speaking against J. J. Gurney himself. 
But, nevertheless, their first and prominent charge against 
him at the first interview, was that he had " spread long lists 
of extracts from Jos. J. Gurney's doctrines." It is true, that 
when at that interview, J. W. attempted to justify his having 
done so, by showing the unsoundness of those doctrines, they 
feigned, in order to avoid the exposure of them even among 
themselves, to let go the complaint, which they had thus 
emphatically preferred against him, and, attempting to dis- 
criminate between the man and his doctrines, to make their 
charge against him for objections to the man only. Which 
latter charge they never could, nor can they ever substantiate, 
and consequently by this wily contrivance to shift their hold, 
their whole fabric falls to the ground. 

Now, at this meeting at Providence, J. W. inquired of them 
whether they were now disposed to relinquish their first charge 
against him of " spreading long lists of extracts from that 
Friend's doctrines," to which several of them responded, No, 
oh no. And although J. W., at Newport, did not feel himself 
at liberty, even to clear himself from many of their accusa- 
tions, yet now such restraint was removed, and his mind was 
free, and opened in clearness, and strength was given to speak 
in defence of the good cause, and to exculpate himself from 
blame in so far as he had been endeavoring to guard it against 
innovation. 



EXPOSUEE OF THEIR INJUSTICE. 291 

It was not long the committee pursued reading extracts, 
because of their objections being so fully answered ; choosing 
rather to object to the letter in a more summary way, they 
alleged that J. W. had, by that letter, "implied that the com- 
mittee were unsound as to their religious sentiments." To 
this he replied, " that no body of people, or individuals, had 
any occasion to fear that a charge of unsoundness could be 
made to lie against them, if they had not accused or identified 
themselves therein by things which they had said or done — 
that if this committee would come forward and now disavow 
and condemn the unsound doctrines of J. J. Gurney, as him- 
self had done, there was no one who would attempt to im- 
plicate them therewith ; and he earnestly and affectionately 
entreated them to do so for the clearing of themselves from 
all imputation. 

This proposition and entreaty brought much solemnity over 
the company, and silence prevailed until he found it right to 
speak further, and to tell them, that they had found much 
fault with him in relation to expressions in the letter ; that he 
as well as they, had susceptible feelings, and if they would 
give him leave, he would remind them of a few expressions 
and movements of their own which had been afflictive to 
him, and then paused for liberty to proceed. After standing 
for some time, he subjoined, if Friends are unwilling to be 
thus reminded, I will take my seat ; but soon rose again, and 
revived the saying that silence gives consent, and then pro- 
ceeded to tell them that because he conscientiously hesitated 
to condemn his letter at Newport, they " charged him with 
stubbornness" and also, divers times, said " that no one could 
tell by his letter anything about what transpired at the first 
interview," [making the whole document a fabrication,] and 
further, at Portsmouth, had u pronounced the premises therein 
taken to be false, and the conclusions therefore to be false and 
unsound," and had inscribed this upon the letter, and in the 
Select Quarterly Meeting but a day or two previous, had 
opened the subject in a manner altogether uncalled for and 
unnecessary, unless it was needful to reproach him in that 
open manner. Silence again reigned, until he again pro- 
ceeded ; the committee also required of him to hear them 
read to him an anonymous letter, reflecting unfairly upon his 



292 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

proceedings ; which letter or paper was withheld from his 
possession. An act which he thought the most extraordinary 
he had ever known to be practised by those called Friends. 

Not the least reply was made to this exposure of their 
injustice. 

It was now very observable that the committee (for the 
present) were somewhat softened and moderated ; they con- 
sented that J. W. should be furnished with their objections to 
his letter on paper, or with a copy of his letter with their 
objections designated in the margin. They agreed that T. A., 
who was not present, should, if he was willing, furnish him 
with them in the one form or the other. But still before we 
parted, they so far recovered their former feelings, that they, 
or individuals of them, were disposed to annoy him with 
questions, if not to entrap him, in an unprovoked manner ; 
a process, in such a case, as dishonorable as it is unchristian. 
But the result was, that the answer to every question they 
asked, as well as to every accusation they made, tended to. 
their own disappointment. 

On the 28th of 12th month following, Rowland Greene and 
Thomas Anthony of the Select Quarterly Meeting's com- 
mittee came to South Kingston Monthly Meeting, and at the 
close thereof, called together the ministers and elders. When 
convened, R,. G. stated to them, that a misunderstanding ex- 
isted between the Quarterly Meeting's committee and John 
Wilbur, a member of this meeting, on account of a letter 
which he wrote to them, which letter was very dissatisfactory; 
and they apprehended that the members of this select meet- 
ing had been misinformed, and therefore had not a correct 
knowledge of the case ; that they of the committee had now 
called the members together in order to give them a right un- 
derstanding of it. To this T. A. subjoined, that the letter 
alluded to, contained things that were untrue, and again re- 
peated it — contained things that were not true ; and then pro- 
posed reading extracts from the said letter, for the information 
of the meeting. But J. W. proposed the reading of the whole 
letter, because divers of the members had never seen it, and 
because there was a chain of connection throughout, showing 
a relation of one part with another. And, although the read- 
ing of the whole letter was strongly opposed by these two 



TWO OF THE COMMITTEE AT SOUTH KINGSTON. 293 

committee men, yet the proposition for reading the whole pre- 
vailed, and the letter was deliberately read. Now the com- 
mittee, instead of offering their extracts, and instead of going 
about to prove their assertions of falsehood, which they had 
said it contained, proposed, and, as they said, in order to put 
an end to the controversy, to destroy the letter, with the copy 
retained by the writer; and at the same time stoutly affirmed, 
and repeated it again and again, that the letter was altogether 
inapplicable to what they said to him at Greenwich ; that he, 
the writer, had made his own premises and drawn his own 
conclusions, &c. Wherefore J. W. desired them to put a 
finger on one of his seven references to their charges at 
Greenwich, and to refute it. This he pressed them earnestly 
several times to do. But instead of doing it they boldly 
affirmed that they never made any charge against him there, 
that they only made some friendly inquiries of him, and thus 
evaded an examination of the premises so distinctly grounded 
upon their own charge. They had, in this meeting, made 
both a formal and formidable complaint of something which 
he had said or done, and he now earnestly called upon them 
to show what it was, that thereby it might be seen what it 
was not, alleging that, in the civil department, a man was 
never so much as brought to trial for defaming others, with- 
out propounding the words charged upon him, much less sub- 
jected, without proving them. 

But they now declined altogether an examination of those 
items in the letter which referred to their charges against him, 
which charges were the whole occasion and groundwork of 
the letter. 

And again, inasmuch as they had inscribed upon the letter 
this condemnatory sentence, viz : that " the premises therein 
taken were false, and consequently that the conclusions were 
false and unsound," which inscription had been read in this 
meeting, and they had also declared at the same time, without 
reserve, that "the letter contained things which were not 
true," he now called upon them to make good those high 
charges. 

Being thus closely pressed to do the thing which they at 
first professed to have come for, they referred to the passage 
relating to their " endeavors to put down those who honestly 
25* 



294 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

withstand J. J. Gurney's sentiments," and said, " those expres- 
sions which they understood to have been applied to the com- 
mittee, were untrue." 

J. W. now reminded them of what one of them, (R. 
Greene) said to him whilst at Greenwich, viz : " Thou knew 
that the Yearly Meeting's committee were not willing that 
thou should travel in the ministry, and therefore thou ought 
not to have gone to Philadelphia," and subjoined, " and my 
advice to thee is to stay at home and be quiet." To which 
advice every one of the committee then present, except An- 
drew Nichols responded. Knowing that these were their own 
words, they appeared to feel the weight of their defeat. 

It was observed by one of the members of South Kings- 
ton Select Meeting, and seen by every one present, that the 
truth of the passage referred to was sustained. To this 
observation they of the committee made no reply. And then 
again J. W. asked them for other objections, if any they had, 
tending to prove their charge, but without effect ; they wholly 
declined challenging any other item in the whole letter, though 
once and again called on to do so. 

And inasmuch as the committee had pressingly proposed 
the burning of the letter, and had given the assurance that such 
a measure would put an end to the whole controversy ; one 
or two members of the meeting, seeing the utter failure of the 
committee, and, as it may be, feeling a little for them, and 
greatly desiring the restoration of peace among us, proposed 
to John Wilbur that he consent to the consuming of the 
papers that related to this unhappy controversy ; being also 
unduly credulous as to the assurance given, that this measure 
would end it, — not seeing the consequences that would most 
likely follow ; for should this letter become extinct, and there- 
fore could no longer bear witness for itself, false charges 
might be brought against it, in which case the writer would 
be left in a very unpleasant predicament, on account of the 
difficulty of proving a negative without a record. Moreover, 
another good reason why the letter ought not to be burnt 
was, because the charge of falsehood was written and re- 
mained upon it, and because the writer of it was now charged 
in a meeting of ministers and elders, with writing things therein 
that are untrue. Consequently, for him to consent to the de- 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE AT PROVIDENCE. 295 

stmction of the papers, until those slanderous charges were 
removed and retracted, it might, and not very unfairly, be 
construed as an acknowledgment on the part of the writer that 
those accusations of falsehood were correct. Hence he saw 
it much safer to preserve a correct copy of the letter, and re- 
solved to do so. 

The great efforts and unhallowed means resorted to hereto- 
fore by the committee, to calumniate J. W., and to prevent 
his having an opportunity to vindicate his cause, induced him 
to suspect their integrity in a professed desire and assurance 
of a settlement through the destruction of this letter. 

And this suspicion has been since abundantly confirmed 
by the acknowledgment of other members of the Select 
Yearly Meeting's committee. Thomas Howland, the one 
who first cited J. W. before them, having said in a letter to a 
friend, " The burning of that letter would, I conceive, have 
done little if anything at all, towards settling the difficulty." 

At the close of this interview, J. W. asked T. A. for the 
extracts which they at first proposed to read in that meeting, 
which he declined giving, but handed him a copy of the letter 
with some pencil marks in the margin. 

At our Select Quarterly Meeting at Providence, 2d month, 
3d, 1841, the committee presented a report setting forth, as 
near as can be remembered, (for J. W. has been denied a 
copy) that " a member of this meeting having spread reports 
to the injury of the order of Society, was labored with on that 
account by your committee, whereupon the said member wrote 
a letter to them containing things that were unjust" &c. 

This report produced considerable expression, mingled with 
censure and exhortation, pointedly to the individual, with 
professions of sympathy for and travail with the committee. 
And it was concluded that the subject should remain with 
the same committee. It was perceived by J. W., that the 
committee at large, was resolved to disregard and overlook 
the proceedings of the two who had been to South Kings- 
ton ; he rose, on behalf of the person alluded to in that 
report ; requesting that the meeting would either take up the 
subject itself and allow that individual a fair opportunity of 
making his innocency appear ; or otherwise, instruct their com- 
mittee to do so ; stating that some of their number had con- 



295 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

vened the select meeting, of which he was a member, and 
there openly in the meeting brought complaints against him 
of a more aggravated nature than those stated in this report ; 
but which complaints they were not able to sustain, and which 
failure he believed was obvious to every member of that 
meeting ; that he had been suing for six months past for dis- 
tinct objections to the course which he had taken ; and as he 
thought obtained a promise three months before to furnish 
him with those objections ; but that promise had not yet 
been redeemed. He referred to the trial of W. Penn and W. 
Mead, in London, to whom a full and fair hearing was 
promised, but which promise was not fulfilled ; and the court 
seemed disposed to condemn them upon the reports abroad 
and the prejudice against them. By which reference J. W. 
suggested whether the reports abroad tending to produce un- 
favorable feelings towards the person alluded to in the report, 
had not influenced the minds of some of his friends against 
him. 

The committee now seemed to be brought to a stand what 
to say to this statement, but one or two of them did say that 
much opportunity had been allowed him ; and referred to the 
time of one sitting, which they said continued for five hours in 
discussion of the case. But he reminded them, and informed 
the meeting, that his solicitations through that meeting were 
the same as now, to give him a plain statement, on paper, of 
their ground of uneasiness ; and thus the subject was left. 
But before leaving Providence, J. W. asked T. Anthony, 
(who furnished him with the copy of the letter,) whether those 
pencil marks on the margin were intended to designate their 
objections ? To which he replied that " he did not know." 

John Wilbur received from one of the same committee a 
previous notice to meet them at Greenwich on the 4th of oth 
month, 1841, the day before the Select Quarterly Meeting there. 
He went accordingly, and met with nine Friends of the before- 
mentioned committee, and six of the standing committee of 
the Yearly Meeting. And after a time of silence, one of the 
former said, that inasmuch as J. W. had expressed a desire 
for an opportunity to make his defence, the committee had 
now met to give him that opportunity. 

He now waited some time for their complaint to be brought 



YEARLY MEETING'S COMMITTEE PROFFER THEIR AID. 297 

forward ; but not being presented, he mentioned that he had 
been waiting in expectation that a complaint, if any they 
had against him, would be presented ; and that nothing to 
that effect had been given him ; that although there were 
pencil marks on the copy of his letter ; yet T. A., who handed 
it to him, said he did not know whether those pencil marks 
covered the committee's objections or not; and that therefore 
he was not prepared to respond to their complaint, having 
received no other designation in writing of their uneasiness. 
But John Meader said that " John Wilbur, having received that 
marked copy from the hands of the committee, he might have 
known that it contained their objections." But as one of their 
own number had spoken doubtfully in relation to it, J. W. 
was not now prepared to meet those objections specifically. 
But the committee decided on going into the consideration 
of the case at this time. Whereupon he requested that they 
would allow him the rightful privilege of one of two things, 
viz : that they would either give him their objections in writ- 
ing, and time to canvass them, or that they would constitute 
an individual of their number as their organ to speak on their 
behalf, intimating that for one individual to be laid under the 
necessity of replying to the objections and allegations of so 
many, might tend to an unreasonable embarrassment ; these 
requests were both denied. The Quarterly Meeting's com- 
mittee plead that he had been furnished as above, and that 
their objections were marked upon that copy, and that he 
might have known that it defined their objections, &c. 

It was now proposed, as he thinks, by the Yearly Meeting's 
committee, that the letter should be read, and that the Quar- 
terly Meeting's committee should discuss the objectionable 
passages as the reading went on. To this proposal J. W. 
objected, for the reason that the Yearly Meeting's committee, 
(who were presumed not to have seen it,) could not in that 
way so well comprehend it as a whole. And so the whole 
letter was read without any interruption. And quite a solem- 
nity prevailed throughout, and for some time after ; insomuch 
that it did almost seem doubtful whether the Quarterly Meet- 
ing's committee would make any objections, nor did they do 
so until the Yearly Meeting's committee encouraged them to 
bring them forward, saying that it contained the insinuation 



298 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

that the Quarterly Meeting's committee were unsound, &c. 
Finally they attempted, but in so feeble a manner, and so 
indefinite, that the Yearly Meeting's committee proffered 
their help, (though brought here professedly to judge in a case 
of uneasiness between the Quarterly Meeting's committee 
and J. W.,) in pointing out a paragraph or two which they said 
by a reasonable construction, appeared to them to bear upon 
the doctrinal views of the Quarterly Meeting's committee. 

But to this J. W. said, as he had heretofore said, that it 
was not his intention to charge the committee with un- 
soundness ; and if it would give them any satisfaction he 
was still prepared to say so, by way of explanation, and as 
they had asked the question, he would say, that he was as 
willing to say it in writing as verbally, as it could not then 
be misconstrued. 

These committees held three meetings at this time at 
Greenwich ; at the first of which they gave occasion for J. 
W. to mention the substance of the interview of two of the 
Quarterly Meeting's committee with the ministers and elders 
at South Kingston, and he was astonished to hear them dis- 
claim having any remembrance of what he related; and in 
the sequel they denied it ! although provable by every mem- 
ber of that meeting. 

David. Buffum said (though uncalled for) "that he had 
never read anything in J. J. Gurney's writings, which he con- 
sidered unsound," (probably to redeem what he had at first 
said against them.) And at the close of the sitting, whilst 
many members were yet present, Abraham Sherman, jr., said 
he believed that J. J. Gurney's doctrines, when compared 
one with another, would very nearly, if not entirely, comport 
with the doctrines of our early Friends. To which William 
Jenkins and one or two more responded, and no objection 
to either of these affirmations was expressed by any one of 
the committees then present.* 

On 4th day morning, J. W. met again with the committee, 
and in a recurrence to the great question of doctrines, as 
treated of the preceding evening, he told them that his fears 
had not diminished by reason of what passed yesterday ; that 

* Here then, we find those committees voluntarily identifying themselves with the 
doctrines of J. J. Gurney. 



EFFORTS OF THE COMMITTEES CONTINUED. 299 

one of the Quarterly Meeting's committee had said that he had 
never read anything in J. J. Gurney's writings which he thought 
unsound ; and that one of the Yearly Meeting's committee had 
also said, that he believed, if we were to compare one thing 
with another, that we should find J. J. Gurney's doctrines to be 
nearly, if not entirely conformable to the doctrines of our early 
Friends ; and that one or two more responded to that sentiment. 
But no reply to these remarks is recollected to have been 
made. Subsequently, and after some conversation not recol- 
lected, R. Greene spoke at considerable length, in commenda- 
tion of J. J. Gurney, bestowing high encomiums and much 
praise upon him and his services in this country. Soon after, 
they asked J. W. if he were willing to commit to writing his 
expressions, that he had had no intention of charging the 
committee with unsoundness ? to which he answered in the 
affirmative, inasmuch as he had quite a choice that such ex- 
planation, if made at all, should be in writing; and proposed, 
if A. S. had a pencil, that he should sketch it out, [meaning 
then while we were sitting.] But, contrary to his expecta- 
tion, the committee proposed to rise, and did so. After the 
sitting of the Select Quarterly Meeting, he was requested to 
meet the committee again next morning at nine o'clock. 

On fifth day morning, when assembled, A. S. read a paper, 
not only embracing the explanation agreed to, but a condem- 
nation of expressions contained in his letter, and so shaped, 
as J. W. thought, that they could apply it to any part of the 
letter they might choose, and thereby, if they pleased, make 
him appear to retract the whole letter, and the whole ground 
which he had taken against the doctrines of J. J. Gurney, as 
well as his objection to the proceedings of the Quarterly 
Meeting's committee ; hence, of course, he refused to sign it, 
but asked them to what expressions in the letter they alluded ? 
A. S., the writer of the paper, first referred to J. W.'s saying 
that D. BufTum " acknowledged that some of J. J. Gurney's 
writings were very unsound," when David arose and denied 
making such expressions. But J. W. now related the conver- 
sation that led to it, and mentioned J. Meader's expression of 
dissatisfaction with it at the time, when he, remarked, " / 
should not have said so." J. W. then called on Andrew 
Nichols (who had not arrived until this morning) to state his 



300 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

understanding of what D. B. said at the time alluded to. And 
he, although backward about testifying, gave it verbatim as 
the letter stated ; and immediately that subject was dropped. 

A. Sherman then referred to the passage in the letter which 
says, " When you say that I have spoken against the doctrines 
of J. J. G., &c," and said, "that the committee alleged that 
J. W. had attributed expressions to them which they had not 
made use of." 

He now plainly stated to them, that at the first interview 
(and previously to his proposing to read extracts,) they did, and 
with some severity, " censure him for spreading extracts from 
the doctrines of J. J. Gurney," but that on his producing those 
extracts, and proposing to read them, for their information, as 
to the extent of their unsoundness, thereby to evince the pro- 
priety of his showing those extracts, then it was that they 
came round and said that the unsoundness of the doctrines of 
J. J. G. had nothing to do with J. W.'s defence. But even 
now (continued he) suppose we were to waive this impassa- 
ble ground, and look to the restraints which the Select Quar- 
terly Meeting's committee essayed to lay upon him at that 
time, and inquire for what cause ? Let the answer be in their 
own language — for his having spoken against J. J. Gurney. 
This was effectually, and to every intent and purpose, making 
him, so far as such could make him, an offender, for speaking 
against the doctrines of J. J. Gurney, and not otherwise, be- 
cause it was his doctrinal characteristics only that were implied 
in these animadversions. And if the committee can separate 
the doctrines from the man, so he, as well, can separate the 
man from his doctrines. 

In the next place, A. S. spoke at some length in denuncia- 
tion of the course which J. W. had taken, and much in the 
same strain as did the Quarterly Meeting's committee, in 
the first place at Greenwich, affirming it to have been a 
breach of order, &c. The speaker appeared to understand 
how to foreclose a reply, by immediately proposing an ad- 
journment on taking his seat, viz: to meet again on first day 
evening, at the time of the Yearly Meeting at Newport, which 
was agreed to. 

At Newport, 1st day evening, the 13th of 6th month, 1841, 
the committee again met ; J. W. being present, let them know 



PREVARICATION OF THE COMMITTEE. 301 

that he had responded to, or rather vindicated the passages 
marked on their copy of his letter to the Quarterly Meeting's 
committee, and now desired to be furnished with their objec- 
tions, in writing, in relation to the stand which he had made 
against the writings of J. J. Gurney. 

They now denied having said, at their last meeting, that the 
marked passages included the committee's objections, and J. 
Meader, the very man who then said that "J. W. might have 
known that the marked passages, coming from the committee, 
did include their objections to the letter," now said, that it 
was himself, unauthorized by the committee, who marked 
those passages ; and that they did not include all the com- 
mittee's objections to that letter ; to the last assertion, to wit, 
that they did not include all their objections, several others 
responded. 

Then, after reminding them of the promise in the 11th 
month, to furnish him with their objections, and of their 
assumption in the 5th month, that they had done so, as 
related to the letter j he called upon the committee, most seri- 
ously, to furnish him with a plain account of their dissatis- 
faction with him on paper, in a manner which could no more 
be changed, averring that the allegations and complaints 
against him had been several times changed ! But they said 
he knew enough already of their dissatisfaction, and utterly 
refused to give him a written recital of their uneasiness ! 

Howbeit, he told them, that such was not only his right, 
but altogether reasonable. 

Wherefore he now told them that if they persisted in a 
refusal, there would be no use in his meeting them any more. 

Much, however, was said by this committee,* (which now 
amounted to about thirty persons together, at this time,) and 
endeavors were not wanting to place him in a fearful and 
alarming position. They ultimately resorted in turn to per- 
suasion, exhortation, and denunciation, in order to obtain 
concessions from him ; at one time, repeatedly said, that it 
was but a little they would require of him to say ; at another 
time proclaimed him to be in a dangerous position ; and 

* The Select Quarterly Meeting's committee had now, as they said, resigned their 
authority to the Yearly Meeting's committee, of which they were all members save two, 
and by this manoeuvre Andrew Nichols was excluded. 
26 



302 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

again they told him, that he was in a dark, hard state of 
mind ! After laboring in this way for some time, they con- 
cluded that a smaller number would be better, to labor in a 
more private way ; and so appointed about half a dozen out 
of the number for the purpose, and adjourned till 3d day 
evening. This sub-committee requested him to meet them 
next morning at 7 o'clock, which he. did. But during the 
recess, and on much deliberation, he became more and more 
confirmed in the belief, that he could not safely, in any man- 
ner whatever, retract the course which he had taken. In 
which conclusion he had the unity as well as the sympathy 
of his friends. 

When this sub-committee met, he told them that he had 
but very little to say, that his mind had been deliberately 
made up, that he could make no concessions, and therefore 
was disposed to withdraw ; that the committee could take 
such course as they thought proper. But they seemed very 
unwilling he should go out, and proposed that he read his 
defence to such objections as he had already received from 
the committee, but he said there would be no use in answer- 
ing to a part of an indictment, before it was finished, or the 
whole brought in, which they could not gainsay, but seemed 
inclined to administer more exhortation, and to show him the 
danger of his condition ; and so he stayed until he supposed 
all had done. They were quite importunate, however, that 
he would meet the full committee the next evening, but he 
gave them no encouragement of doing so, and did not meet 
them. 

At the close of the Yearly Meeting he was invited into the 
committee room, where he met with three or four of the com- 
mittee, and where the question, whether he would take the 
advice of his friends, was urged by one of them ; which was 
only answered by asking him whether he was prepared to 
give advice; intimating that it would be time enough for them 
to ascertain that fact, when their advice was given. 

These few now importuned most earnestly that J. W. 
would make at least some little concession, and asked him if 
he would not say this, viz : "KI have done wrong, I am 
sorry for it." To which he replied, this is by no means a 
proper way [for a transgressor] to make satisfaction. They 



REFUSAL TO FURNISH COPY OF MINUTE. 303 

finally asked him if he would not meet the whole commit- 
tee next morning, and pressed him to do so; but he did 
not promise, telling them he should take the advice of his 
friends. 

Sixth day morning, agreeably to the counsel of his friends, 
he again met the Yearly Meeting's committee, and was there 
again pressed to make them satisfaction by acknowledgment, 
and R. G. undertook to give a history of the case, but stated 
it in the most aggravated point of view, omitting the circum- 
stances militating against the committee, and in favor of 
J. W. However, as the latter had before concluded to make 
no defence before the committee, until they had allowed him 
the just right of having a plain account, in writing, of all 
their charges against him, he told them that, however unjust 
and aggravated that statement was, he should make no formal 
defence. Subsequently, his letter to the committee was read, 
and when accomplished, reference was made by them to the 
denial therein contained, of the right or authority of that com- 
mittee to reprehend him in the form and manner they had 
done. He now called for a copy of the minute of the appoint- 
ment of the Select Quarterly Meeting's committee, but it was 
not produced ; and then stated that he had applied to the 
clerk of the meeting which appointed them, for a copy of that 
minute, but he had refused to give it. And so they were 
pleading for assumed powers while they refused to produce 
evidence of having such powers. He then related the purport 
of the minute of their appointment, substantially as it was, 
which they had no right to gainsay, as the only evidence 
was in their hands, and that a matter of record. 

He stated to them a supposed case where defective accounts 
should be sent from one of the Quarters to the Yearly Meet- 
ing, and a committee appointed on that account, and asked 
whether such committee would have a right, under that 
appointment, to go all over the Yearly Meeting in the exer- 
cise of the authority thus conferred upon it. To this they 
made no reply. 

They now professed to have in their possession other com- 
plaints against him, of which they had not yet told him ! He 
then desired that, if they had other charges against him, 
they would be so good as to bring them forward, as well as 



30-1 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

those of which they professed that he had sufficient knowl- 
edge, so that he might have a plain list of the whole. To 
w^hich one of them replied, that they had many others!! 
[He supposed that they made this pretence of having more 
charges in store, for the purpose of alarming him, and to 
induce him to yield to their demands.] But no encourage- 
ment was given of letting him know what they were, nor yet 
of making tangible on paper anything of the kind whatever. 
In answ'er to their frequent demands for concessions, he 
replied, now near the close, that there were many Friends, 
and probably in all parts of the Society, w^ho w-ere nearly 
united in making a stand against the unsound doctrines 
spread abroad among us, and that with them, and in the 
same cause, he had taken a pretty prominent part ; therefore, 
if he should now condemn his having withstood those doc- 
trines, he would inflict a wound upon the good cause, and 
upon the feelings of his friends, as w^ell as upon his own con- 
science. To this one replied, that those alluded to in other 
parts of the Society, were as likely to be mistaken as was 
John Wilbur. To w T hich he saw fit to make no reply. 

This committee, as it appears, were desirous that he should 
say something that they could call a condemnation of errors 
which he had committed, and then to liberate him by their 
pardon, and in that way cast a stigma upon him, and on 
the cause which he had supported ; and which would go to 
strengthen the doctrines w r hich he had reprobated. This he 
could no more agree to, than George Fox and others could 
agree to be released from prison, under the sentence of a 
premunire, by a pardon from the king, the acceptance of 
which would have implied a confession of guilt. George 
Fox therefore declared, that he would rather have lain in 
jail all his days, than to act in any way dishonorable to the 
Truth, or as implying transgression on his part. 

Considerable more passed in the course of these discussions, 
that was not essential to the merits of the controversy, and is 
therefore omitted. 

At our Select Quarterly Meeting in the 11th month follow- 
ing, and in the forepart thereof, divers pointed declarations 
were thrown out, evidently aimed at J. W., which passed 
without remark ; but near the close of the business part of 



COMMITTEE COME TO SOUTH KINGSTON. 305 

that meeting, one of its committee fell to censuring South 
Kingston Select Meeting, for sending up to that meeting, as 
representative, one who was under the care of a committee 
of that meeting. And now, although J. W. had let pass, 
without remark, those pointed declarations which were aimed 
at him, (he having a right to do so,) yet when the proceedings 
of the meeting from which he was there as a representative, 
were condemned, he felt it his duty to come forward in 
vindication of its rights; and he informed the meeting that 
Friends of South Kingston Meeting believed that this meet- 
ing's committee, not being appointed for that purpose, had 
interfered with and invaded the rights which the Yearly Meet- 
ing had confided to it, and to all others within its limits, of 
that description ; and that in a manner unauthorized by dis- 
cipline, and that this interference was therefore gratuitous ; 
and further said, that superior meetings and their committees 
were bound to move through the regular and defined channels 
of the same discipline, which was to govern those of an infe- 
rior order, as well as individuals. To which no one responded, 
for the meeting immediately rose. 

In the 4th month, 1842, fifteen in number of the Yearly Meet- 
ing's committee attended South Kingston Monthly Meeting, 
and brought a voluminous complaint against him, without any 
previous notice, and literally made good their assertion eight 
or ten months before, viz : that they had many things against 
him, of which they had not yet told him. So they did in- 
deed couch divers charges in this complaint which they had 
never before brought against him as such. 

This attempt by force of numbers, as it appeared, to com- 
pel the Monthly Meeting to take immediate measures, so con- 
trary to the usual course of business, by overseers, and through 
a preparative meeting, caused a loss of confidence in the 
committee on the part of the Monthly Meeting, and raised 
the question in many minds, What can be the merits of a 
complaint which they dare not venture with the overseers 
and preparative meeting, nor even with the Monthly Meet- 
ing, without so great a number to enforce it ? Not that the 
Monthly Meeting was unwilling to recognize it, through the 
usual channel prescribed by discipline and the order of so- 
ciety. Nor was J. W. unwilling that this case should be 



306 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

submitted to South Kingston Monthly Meeting for decision 
in a regular manner according to discipline. 

The complaint thus irregularly brought into the Monthly 
Meeting is as follows : — 

To South Kingston Monthly Meeting of Friends : — 

We, the committee appointed by the Yearly Meeting to extend a 
o-eneral care on its behalf, for the maintenance of our Christian prin- 
ciples and testimonies, and the preservation of love and unity among 
our members,and in the ability that may be afforded us to assist and 
advise such meetings and members, as circumstances may require, and 
way open for, under the direction of best wisdom, having had our 
minds introduced into deep concern and exercise on account of the 
course pursued for some time past by John Wilbur, a member of South 
Kingston Monthly Meeting, in the station of a minister, believe the 
time has now come, for us to state some of the particulars, wherein he 
has departed from the good order of our religious Society, in the dis- 
regard of our Christian discipline. 

He has circulated an anonymous pamphlet, which impeaches the 
character of our Society, and in which, some of its important doctrines, 
as exemplified in the religious engagements of some of its faithful min- 
isters, are reproachfully held up to view ; and purports to contain the 
proceedings of London Yearly Meeting of Ministers and Elders, with 
the sentiments of divers Friends therein named, when the subject of 
liberating a minister to visit this country was before that meeting. 
The object of which, together with sundry letters which he has circu- 
lated, appears to be to induce the belief that the concern did not receive 
the unity of the meeting, and that the clerk did not act in conformity 
with the true sense and judgment of the meeting in signing the 
certificate, thus endeavoring to invalidate both the proceedings and 
conclusion of a meeting, in unity with this Yearly Meeting, and whose 
certificate on behalf of the same Friend was received and united with, 
as entered on our records. And while the Friend was in this country, 
and engaged in the discharge of his apprehended religious duty, with 
full certificates of unity from the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings of 
which he is a member, and the Yearly Meeting of Ministers and El- 
ders of London, and which were duly presented, received, and accred- 
ited, in all the Yearly Meetings in this country except one, which he 
did not attend ; and thus was he at liberty for religious service within 
their limits in the full and acknowledged character of an approved and 
authenticated minister of the Society of Friends ; — John "Wilbur, for 
the want, as we believe, of an humble abiding in the Truth, has circu- 
lated divers letters, one or more of which appear to have been written 



COMMITTEE'S COMPLAINT AGAINST HIM. 307 

in England, and others originating with himself, addressed to differ- 
ent Friends in this country, which were intended to show that the 
minister thus liberated to religious service was not in unity with his 
friends at home, contrary to the long established order of our religious 
Society, and designed to close his way in the minds of Friends. And 
we also believe, that for the want of maintaining his integrity in that 
dependence upon the Holy Spirit, which would have preserved him in 
unity with Friends, he has indulged in a spirit of detraction, in speak- 
ing and writing, by which the religious character of divers Friends in 
our own and other Yearly Meetings has been much misrepresented. 

Many Friends were introduced into deep concern on his account, 
and several of them treated with him in tenderness and love in relation 
to it, but without producing any apparent change in his mind, and 
there having been a committee appointed by Rhode Island Quarterly 
Meeting of Ministers and Elders, in the fifth month, 1840, of which 
body he was a member, on account of existing deficiencies as manifest 
from the answers to the queries, and under a concern for the cause of 
Truth ; and they having been made acquainted with John Wilbur's 
course, as last above stated, and he having made divers assertions 
'tending to induce dissatisfaction among Friends, and with the proceed- 
ings of our Yearly Meeting in various particulars, and calculated to 
produce division therein, and also to disturb the unity of different 
Yearly Meetings, and to alienate the feelings of their members from 
each other, sought an opportunity with him, in which they endeavored 
to show him the effects of his proceedings both upon himself and others ; 
but he, so far from receiving these labors of love in the spirit in which 
they were administered, soon after wrote a letter to one of the commit- 
tee, in which he made unjust insinuations, and preferred charges against 
them which they deny in point of fact. 

They, nevertheless, continued their care and labor, but his mind ap- 
pearing closed against their advice in the 5th month, 1841 ; we, at their 
request, believed it to be our duty to extend care in his case ; and it is 
with deep regret and sorrow we have observed the effect his course of 
conduct has produced, in lessening that regard for the wholesome re- 
straints of the discipline, and for the labor of faithful Friends, for the 
preservation of that good order, love, and unity, which are essential to 
the peace and welfare of the body. 

We have had repeated opportunities with him, in which we have 
labored to convince him of his errors, but this desirable object not 
having been accomplished, and after waiting several months to afford 
him opportunity to make satisfaction for his deviation, and two of the 
committee having unavailingly visited him on this account at his own 
house, and there not appearing that change in his mind which is neces- 



308 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

sary to his being restored to the unity of Friends, we now believe it 
incumbent upon us, in discharge of the service confided to us by the 
Yearly Meeting, to recommend his case to the immediate notice and 
care of South Kingston Monthly Meeting. 
Providence, 4th Mo., 23, 1842. 
(Signed,) 
Rowland Greene, Perez Peck, 

John Osborne, David Buffum, 

Caleb Nichols, John Meader, 

Daniel Taber, William Jenkins, 

Edward Wing, Mary Wing, 

Thomas Anthony, Olive Wing, 

Elizabeth Meader, Mary B. Allen. 

Allen Wing, 

After the reading of the complaint, the Yearly Meeting's 
committee proposed that the meeting should take action upon 
it, by appointing a committee on the case at that time. 

The Friend complained of, and others, took the ground 
that the complaint should come to the Monthly Meeting' 
through the overseers and preparative meeting — agreeably to 
our uniform practice, — but the committee said their authority 
from the Yearly Meeting was such as to obviate the necessity 
of such preliminary proceedings ; and when it was proposed 
that the case should be referred for a month, on the ground 
that the Monthly Meeting was hardly in a situation to act in 
so important a matter, on account of the small number pres- 
ent,* the Yearly Meeting's committee insisted upon immedi- 
ate proceedings, saying an addition could be made at a future 
time to the committee now appointed, if the meeting desired 
it ; and threatened, if the Monthly Meeting did not comply 
with their advice, to carry a complaint against it to the Quar- 
terly Meeting. 

After an expression by the meeting, in which the greater 
number objected to the proposed immediate action, the clerk 
proposed to refer the decision of the question to the Yearly 
Meeting's committee, who had been urging it upon the 
meeting. 

They recommended the clerk to decide ; which he then did 
in favor of their views. 

* The meeting -was at this time held at the most remote place from the greater num- 
ber of Friends, and the day was wet, and consequently a smaller number than usual 
were present. 



DOINGS IN SOUTH KINGSTON MONTHLY MEETING. 309 

The members of South Kingston Monthly Meeting gen- 
erally knew very little of the merits of this case before it 
was brought to them by the Yearly Meeting's committee. 
At the Monthly Meeting in the 5th month, the time for which 
the clerk was appointed having expired, a new clerk was 
chosen, having the unity of more than three fourths of those 
who expressed themselves; and those who opposed the ap- 
pointment did it on the ground of postponing the action of 
the meeting, and not from any expressed objection to the 
person appointed. The former clerk having left the table, the 
one newly appointed was requested to take his seat, but be- 
fore doing so, he proposed for the former clerk to make a 
minute of the appointment, but the former clerk said it was 
not customary. The new clerk then went to the table, and 
the business of the meeting proceeded ; the former clerk, and 
those who had advocated the postponement of the appoint- 
ment of the clerk, participated therein. At this time one of 
the committee in the case of J. Wilbur proposed that an ad- 
dition be made to that committee, the case being, as he said, 
a very important one, and the meeting, when they were ap- 
pointed, small. An addition of five Friends was then made 
to the committee. 

At the Monthly Meeting in the 6th month, several of the 
Yearly Meeting's committee attended, and proposed that the 
new clerk should resign, and that the meeting should reap- 
point the former one; giving it as their opinion that this 
course would tend to restore unity and harmony in the meeting, 
which they professed to be the object of their visit. The 
committee said, their reason for this advice was, that they 
had heard that the appointment of the clerk was made in a 
disorderly manner, and that it was planned out of meeting ; 
but they were unable to sustain these charges when called 
upon to do so. A large part of the meeting expressed their 
satisfaction with the appointment of the new clerk, making 
it evident that the change proposed would not tend to unite 
the meeting; and the subject was passed from without mak- 
ing the change. 

A committee being appointed at this time to transfer the 
books and papers of the Monthly Meeting from the former to 
the present clerk, the Yearly Meeting's committee stated that 



310 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

they had advised the former clerk to retain them ; and gave 
as a reason, that they had cause to apprehend that a separa- 
tion was contemplated by South Kingston Monthly Meeting. 
This was disclaimed by the Monthly Meeting, and no evi- 
dence of it was adduced by the committee. 

In the 7th month the committee in the case of John Wil- 
bur met for the investigation of that case, and six of the 
Yearly Meeting's committee attended. Before the examina- 
tion of the case was commenced, J. W. desired to have one 
or two of his friends to sit with him and assist him ; and after 
some discussion, in which the Yearly Meeting's committee 
made objection to his having this privilege, the respective 
parties withdrew, submitting the matter to the Monthly Meet- 
ing's committee, who unanimously decided to allow J. W. 
the assistance of two of his friends. Upon their return, the 
Yearly Meeting's committee still objected, and again retired 
a short time for consultation among themselves. On again 
coming in, they took decided ground that the decision of the 
Monthly Meeting's committee must be reversed or they should 
not proceed with the opening of the case, but should leave. 
The Monthly Meeting's committee, on being again appealed 
to, declined to take from J. W. the privilege they had granted, 
without he should consent thereto. J. W. subsequently did 
consent to proceed without the help of his friends, as from the 
determination of the Yearly Meeting's committee, no other 
way appeared to go forward with the case, with said com- 
mittee present, which was to him desirable. During the 
discussion of this question of allowing him assistance, 
which occupied the whole of the first day, the Yearly Meet- 
ing's committee claimed that it was their province, after 
representing the case on their part, to join the Monthly Meet- 
ing's committee in judging the same; a position which the 
Monthly Meeting's committee were not ready to allow. 
The Yearly Meeting's committee also, during the same dis- 
cussion, denied that they were complainants in this case ; and 
when, the next morning, they were asked by J. W. whether 
they still persisted in this denial, notwithstanding their names 
were at1 ached to the complaint, they made no reply. In the 
early part of the trial, the Yearly Meeting's committee intro- 
duced the pamphlet alluded to in the complaint, and which J. 



PROCEEDINGS IN MONTHLY MEETING'S COMMITTEE. 311 

W. was therein charged with circulating. He requested the 
pamphlet might be read, but this the Yearly Meeting's com- 
mittee opposed, proposing to read only certain extracts which 
they had selected from it ; and said if it was read at length 
they should leave ; they opposed it strongly, saying it would 
make them accessory to the further circulation of an improper 
book, and responsible for it, if read before the Monthly Meet- 
ing's committee, but subsequently said they were willing, the 
committee should have the pamphlet for examination ! The 
Monthly Meeting's committee, however, decided to have it 
read, and it was read accordingly. The evidence of the 
Yearly Meeting's committee in support of the charges in the 
complaint being gone through with, J. W. proposed in his 
defence to go into the examination of certain fundamental 
doctrines of the Society, as held by the early Friends, and 
also of certain other doctrines, promulgated by Joseph John 
Gurney, as those of the Society, because it was on account 
of his objection to the latter that he was complained of. This 
was objected to by the Yearly Meeting's committee. 

In support of his right to do so, J. W. referred to the dis- 
cipline, p. 74, which is as follows : — 

" The importance of steadfastly maintaining our ancient principles, 
respecting the doctrines of the gospel, coming renewedly under our 
consideration, we earnestly recommend and enjoin upon Quarterly and 
Monthly Meetings, and upon all faithful Friends, to be watchful over 
our members, as it regards the profession of their faith in our Lord 
Jesus Christ, both as to his outward coming in the flesh, wherein he 
tasted death for every man, and was the propitiatory sacrifice for our 
sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world, 
suffering the just for the unjust, that we might be brought unto God 
through him ; and to his spiritual appearance in the heart, for, " unto 
them that look for him, shall he appear the second time, without sin, 
unto salvation." And if in any instance there should be manifested 
any deviation from our Christian principles in these respects, that they 
proceed to labor with such in the spirit of meekness and wisdom, en- 
deavoring to bring them to a sense of their departure from our ac- 
knowledged principles, that if possible they may be restored to sound- 
ness of faith. And if there should be any who should persist in their 
errors, notwithstanding such labor in brotherly love, that our testimony 
may be maintained by testifying against such." 



312 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

The Yearly Meeting's committee took the ground that the 
Monthly Meeting's committee had no right to set themselves 
up as judges of doctrine ; and that only two bodies are in any 
case authorized to judge of doctrines, to wit : the Yearly 
Meeting and the Meeting for Sufferings ; that if they entered 
into doctrines they would assume authority to decide that the 
great body of the Yearly Meeting are unsound, taking into 
view the great unanimity of it, in granting Joseph John Gur- 
ney a returning certificate. 

The Yearly Meeting's committee asked a decision of this 
question, and after taking time for deliberation the commit- 
tee of the Monthly Meeting gave the following written decis- 
ion : — 

" Inasmuch as the complaint against John Wilbur charges him with 
circulating an anonymous pamphlet, in which some of the important 
doctrines of our religious Society are reproachfully held up to view ; 
and inasmuch as the merits of that matter have been fully gone into, 
on the part of the Yearly Meeting's committee, and further, as it 
appears to us, that the merits of this case essentially depends upon the 
doctrines which have been called in question by John Wilbur, we have 
concluded to allow him to proceed with his defence, introducing such 
evidence and documents on these subjects, as shall appear essentially to 
relate to the same." 

And, subsequently, the committee gave the following rea- 
sons for this decision, namely : — 

" We come to this conclusion on the ground that John Wilbur 
has been charged with circulating information, both in writing and 
print, calculated and intended to close the way of a Friend, from Eng- 
land, travelling among us as an approved and accredited minister, as 
well as certain other offences against the discipline and order of the 
Society ; and he pleads in defence, that what he has done has been in 
the faithful discharge of his apprehended religious duty, in guarding the 
Society against the introduction of unsound and pernicious doctrines, 
subversive of Quakerism ; which doctrines he maintains were held and 
promulgated by the individual alluded to. Now, since our Christian 
discipline enjoins upon ah faithful Friends to be watchful against such 
doctrines, and to testify against them, it appears to us, that no less 
could be done, than to allow the person so charged, to show, if he can, 
that he has been acting in conformity with the discipline in such 
cases. 



WITHDRAWAL OF YEARLY MEETING'S COMMITTEE. 313 

" In answer to the assumption of the Yearly Meeting's committee, 
that we have no right to judge of doctrines, and that the only bodies 
authorized to do so, are the Yearly Meeting, and the Meeting for Suf- 
ferings, we would observe, that Monthly Meetings and committees 
appointed by them, are required to judge of doctrines in many cases ; 
as on receiving members, whether they embrace our principles, and 
sometimes in disowning members for an abandonment of them. And 
it will be seen that the discipline above alluded to, would involve an 
absurdity if this was not the case, for therein all faithful Friends are 
enjoined to be watchful against the manifestation of unsound doctrines 
among our members. 

" We acknowledge, that the Yearly Meeting has very properly consti- 
tuted its Meeting for Sufferings the body to judge of the soundness of 
doctrines proposed to be published as those of the Society, and whose 
especial duty it is to guard against every inroad of error among us ; 
but this does not, and cannot debar subordinate meetings and their 
members, from the right and duty of judging for themselves in so vital 
a matter as the doctrines they embrace, and bearing their testimony 
against manifest unsoundness, in whomsoever it may appear. And, so 
far as our meetings and members are guided by the Spirit of Truth, 
which leads into all Truth, so far there will be an unity of sentiment 
among them, and all, as we believe, in full accordance with those doc- 
trines and principles so clearly and fully testified of, in the early days 
of the Society by George Fox, and the primitive Friends." 

The Yearly Meeting's committee being informed of the 
decision of the committee of the Monthly Meeting on this 
question, immediately withdrew, taking with them all the 
papers and documents which they had introduced to sustain 
their charges. The Monthly Meeting's committee continued 
their sittings to the conclusion of the investigation. 

At the Monthly Meeting in the seventh month a number of 
the Yearly Meeting's committee attended. The committee 
appointed to transfer the books and papers, reported that they 
were unable to obtain them, the former clerk refusing to give 
them up, alleging as a reason, that the Yearly Meeting's 
committee advised him to retain them. It was proposed to 
take him under dealing for the offence, and the meeting took 
the case into consideration, denying the right of the commit- 
tee to interfere with the records. The Yearly Meeting's 
committee objected to his being taken under dealing, but 
expressed their satisfaction with the continuance of the com- 

27 



314 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

mittee for the transfer of the records, and were willing, if 
Friends thought best, that one or two names be added ! 

The Yearly Meeting's committee again said, that from 
what they had seen and heard, they were induced to believe 
that a separation was contemplated on the part of South 
Kingston Monthly Meeting, in which event they said it was 
very important that the Society should have its records, and 
gave this as a reason for advising the former clerk to retain 
them. Regret was expressed by the meeting that the com- 
mittee should again allude to that subject, and they were 
reminded of the great inconsistency and impropriety of such 
course ; professing to be laboring to restore unity and at the 
same time talking about a separation. 

The committee in the case of John Wilbur, stated that 
they were not prepared to report at present. One of the 
Yearly Meeting's committee made inquiry whether no part 
of the committee were ready ; upon which one of the com- 
mittee stated, that two of them had a report in readiness. 

The Yearly Meeting's committee advocated the reading of 
this report of two out of a committee of nine, but the meet- 
ing decided against it. 

The seven members of the committee who did not sign 
this report had never had an opportunity to see it, this intro- 
duction of it to the meeting being their first knowledge 
of it. 

Near the close of this meeting, that member of the com- 
mittee who said two of them had a report in readiness, pro- 
posed that those in unity with the Yearly Meeting, and the 
Yearly Meeting's committee and their doings, be requested 
to stop in the house a short time, at the close of the meeting. 
With this, the former clerk united, and wished the same re- 
quest made of the women. The Yearly Meeting's commit- 
tee encouraged and approbated this proposal, but the meeting 
generally objected to it, on the ground that it appeared to be 
a scheme for a separation, which it was hoped would not re- 
ceive any encouragement, and objected to this test of unity 
with them, as an improper one, fully expressing unity with 
the doctrines of the Society, as held by the early Friends, 
choosing rather to commit themselves to principles than to 
men. The Yearly Meeting's committee made no charge of 



REPORT TO MONTHLY MEETING IN HIS CASE. 315 

unsoundness against any ; but one of them said that a man 
might be entirely sound in doctrine, and yet be very far from 
being in unity with the Yearly Meeting. The judgment of 
the meeting was acquiesced in by him who made the 
proposition upon a suggestion of a member of the Yearly 
Meeting's committee, and the subject was passed from. 

This was the condition of things relative to South Kings- 
ton Monthly Meeting at the time of the Quarterly Meeting 
in the eighth month, when the Yearly Meeting's committee 
reported it in a state of disunity, disorder and insubordina- 
tion ; and a Quarterly Meeting's committee was appointed 
to unite with them in visiting that Monthly Meeting, while 
the case of John Wilbur, about which the Yearly Meeting's 
committee had manifested such extreme anxiety, was still in 
the hands of the committee of the Monthly Meeting, who 
had not yet reported. 

At the Monthly Meeting in the eighth month, several of 
the Yearly Meeting's committee, and all the committee of 
the men's Quarterly Meeting attended, and claimed that the 
Quarterly Meeting's committee were incorporated with the 
meeting, having a right to act as members, and to advise and 
assist the Monthly Meeting, and that the meeting was bound 
to act according to their advice, even to the abrogation of its 
recorded acts for months past. 

The Monthly Meeting did not allow this claim ; it expressed 
its willingness to hear and consider whatever advice the com- 
mittee might offer, and give it all proper weight, but claimed 
the right to exercise its own final judgment as to adopting 
it; acknowledging itself responsible to the Quarterly and 
Yearly Meetings in the manner and form prescribed by the 
discipline, for any breach of the discipline and order of the 
Society. 

Seven of the committee in the case of J. W. made the fol- 
lowing report. • 

" To 'South Kingston Monthly Meeting of Friends, to be held at Hop- 

kinton, the 22c? of 8th mo., 1842. 

" The committee appointed by South Kingston Monthly Meeting to 
treat with John Wilbur, on account of the complaint brought against 
him by the Yearly Meeting's committee, have attended to that service ; 



316 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUE. 

having given notice to the parties of the time and place of our meering, 
John Wilbur and several of the Yearly Meeting's committee attended 
and were heard upon the several matters contained in said complaint. 
" Upon a full and deliberate investigation of the case, our judgment is 
that the charges against John Wilbur, have not been sustained, but 
that his defence is sufficient to exonerate him from the same ; it 
appearing from the evidence brought before us, that the complaint 
originated on account of John Wilbur's labors under an apprehension 
of his religious duty, and in conformity with our Christian discipline, 
against the introduction into our Society of defective principles and 
doctrines, and for the preservation of those ancient testimonies of 
Truth, committed to us as a people. We therefore recommend that 
the complaint against him be dismissed. 
"Eopkinion, 8th mo., 1842. 

Othniel Foster, 
William Nichols, 
John Foster, 
Isaac Collins, 
Joshua Gardner, Jr. 
Samuel Sheffield, 
Charles Perry." 



Two of the committee made a counter report. The con- 
sideration of the first was then entered upon by the meeting ; 
and the Quarterly Meeting's committee advised against its 
adoption. 

One of the Yearly Meeting's committee called for an ex- 
planation of the causes which led that committee to leave, 
before the investigation of the case of J. W. was concluded. 
The clerk of the Monthly Meeting's committee then read an 
extract from the committee's minutes, giving their reasons for 
allowing him to go into an investigation of doctrines in his 
defence. These reasons were not attempted to be controverted 
or answered. The meeting gave a very full expression in 
favor of receiving the report of the committee ; four fifths of 
the number of those who spoke in relation to it, supporting 
it ; and at its final adoption only one member of the Monthly 
Meeting spoke decidedly against it. The meeting deliberated 
long upon the subject, hearing all the committees had to say 
and when all discussions had ceased, and the meeting had 
remained some time in silence, the clerk made a minute ac- 



COMMITTEE'S ADVICE TO THE MONTHLY MEETING. 317 

cepting the report, and it was sent to the women's meeting 
for their consideration. The Quarterly Meeting's committee 
united with the Yearly Meeting's committee in advising the 
former clerk to retain the records of the Monthly Meeting. 

Before the report was returned by the women, an attempt 
was made by two of the Yearly Meeting's committee, sitting 
at the head of the meeting, to break it up, but it was not 
successful ; and the report was united with by the women's 
meeting. 

At the Monthly Meeting in the ninth month a committee 
was appointed to labor with Timothy C. Collins, the former 
clerk, on account of his withholding from the Monthly Meeting 
its records, and the committee had an opportunity with him 
on that account; after the opportunity was ended, he informed 
one of the committee that he had delivered our records over 
to the Quarterly Meeting's committee, who had given him a 
receipt for them, and taken them away out of the limits of 
our Monthly Meeting! Thus, by this bold depredation upon 
our property, effectually depriving our members of the right 
secured to them by the discipline of having access to our 
records. 

At the Monthly Meeting in the 10th month, four of the 
Quarterly Meeting's committee attended and presented the 
following written advice to the Monthly Meeting. 

" The committee appointed by the Quarterly Meeting to visit South 
Kingston Monthly Meeting, and for other services, as will appear by 
the minute of the Quarterly Meeting herewith presented, now believe 
it right to state to South Kingston Monthly Meeting, that having taken 
into our deliberate consideration, the proceedings of that meeting in the 
8th month last, and other previous proceedings connected with it, 
which have had the effect to produce the present unhappy differences 
existing in that meeting, and the state of insubordination in which it 
now is, — have come to the conclusion that the placing of Samuel 
Sheffield at the table, to act as clerk in the 5th month last, in the 
irregular and disorderly manner in which it was effected, and by which 
procedure the feelings and views of many of the members were wholly 
disregarded ; and being satisfied that he took his seat at the table, and 
made the minute appointing himself out of the usual and long estab- 
lished order of said meeting in appointing their clerk, we did therefore 
unite with the advice previously given to Timothy C. Collins, by the 
27* 



318 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

Yearly Meeting's committee, that he should continue for the present to 
retain the records of that meeting. 

" And as this committee were also fully united in the advice given in 
the 8th month last to South Kingston Monthly Meeting, not to accept 
the report presented by that portion of the committee, five of whom 
were added (contrary to the general usage of our Society,) to the 
committee appointed in the 4th month, to have charge of the case, 
after Samuel Sheffield took his seat at the table in the 5th month, and 
as we have cause to apprehend from the manner in which they were 
selected, and from their relationship to the individual under care, it 
was with a view to prevent an impartial exercise of our Christian 
discipline. 

" We, therefore, now on behalf of the Quarterly Meeting, advise South 
Kingston Monthly Meeting at this time, to remove Samuel Sheffield 
from acting as clerk, and to reappoint Timothy C. Collins to the service, 
to dismiss the case of Timothy C. Collins from their records, and dis- 
charge the committee appointed last month to visit him as an offender 
for retaining the records of said meeting as advised to do by this com- 
mittee, and likewise that the decision in the 8th month last, as entered 
on their minutes in relation to John Wilbur, against the judgment of 
concerned Friends of that meeting and against the united advice of this 
committee, be now set aside and be made void and of no effect. 

" Signed by the committee appointed by Ehode Island Quarterly 
Meeting to visit South Kingston Monthly Meeting and advise it on its 
behalf. 

Asa Sherman, 
Beriah Collins, 
Joseph Metcalf, 
Arnold Congdon. 
" Members of the committee present. 
" Hopkinton, 10th mo., 24th, 1842." 

The advice having been twice read, and embracing matters 
of great moment, and wholly unprecedented, involving not 
only the rights of individuals, but of meetings, it was pro- 
posed to refer it another month for consideration. This doc- 
ument being dated at Hopkinton, the same day, those present 
were asked if the whole of the committee were consulted in 
those advices ; they answered in the negative. On inquiry 
of the committee, whether they intended to ask the meeting 
to act upon it without time for deliberation, one of them re- 
plied he thought it reasonable that the meeting should have 
time to consider of it. But afterwards the committee, and a 



DISSOLUTION OF THE MONTHLY MEETING. 319 

few members of the Monthly Meeting, advocated the imme- 
diate compliance of the meeting. The subject was, however, 
referred for further consideration to the next month. 

At the Quarterly Meeting held at Somerset, 3d of 11th 
month, 1842, the committee appointed at the last Quarterly 
Meeting, to visit South Kingston and Swanzey Monthly Meet- 
ings, reported that they had visited Swanzey Monthly Meeting, 
and extended such advice as appeared necessary ; that they 
had also visited South Kingston Monthly Meeting in the 
eighth month and given their advice in relation to the business 
of that meeting, which was disregarded, they continuing to 
manifest a spirit of insubordination, &c, having appointed a 
committee to deal with their former clerk, for complying with 
the advice of the Quarterly and Yearly Meeting's committees 
in retaining the records of that meeting ; that they had also 
again visited them in the tenth month and given them advice 
in writing, (here reciting their advice to the Monthly Meeting,) 
which advice was not accepted by the meeting, but they re- 
ferred the consideration of it another month. 

In conclusion, they gave it as their united judgment, (as 
near as recollected) that South Kingston Monthly Meeting 
was not in a suitable state to transact business as a Monthly 
Meeting in conformity with our Christian discipline, and to 
the furtherance of the best interests of Society, and there- 
fore recommended that that Monthly Meeting be dissolved, 
and the members of it joined to Greenwich Monthly Meeting. 

The reading of the discipline under the head of Quarterly 
Meetings was called for by a member of South Kingston 
Monthly Meeting, and urged by many Friends, and for a 
considerable time refused, during which time several united 
with the report. 

At length after much importunity the discipline was read, 
and it having been shown that the adoption of the report 
would be a direct violation of it, some of the Yearly Meet- 
ing's committee said a wrong construction was put upon the 
discipline, but did not attempt to point out in what particu- 
lars. 

Many Friends spoke against the adoption of the report, in- 
somuch that the meeting appeared nearly equally divided ; but 
a disposition being plainly manifested to adopt the report, 



320 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

some of the members of South Kingston Monthly Meeting 
strongly remonstrated against the summary dissolution of that 
meeting and joining it to another, as a violation of the plain 
provisions of the discipline, and asked for an opportunity to 
be heard before a committee, or in some other mode, before 
the Quarterly Meeting should proceed to this extremity. This 
was denied. It was then stated on the part of South Kings- 
ton Monthly Meeting, that if no other opportunity was to be 
afforded they should now be obliged to make a statement of 
the proceedings of the Yearly and Quarterly Meeting's com- 
mittees in that Monthly Meeting, for the information of the 
Quarterly Meeting before it should act in so important a case. 
Such opportunity being denied, one of the representatives 
from South Kingston Monthly Meeting rose to read such 
statements ; when he was peremptorily directed by the clerk 
to " take his seat and put up his paper," but he continued to 
stand, and amidst great interruption, to plead for the privilege 
and the right to be heard. The clerk, however, who was 
himself an active member of the Yearly Meeting's committee, 
read the minute dissolving the Monthly Meeting. 

By the provisions of the minute, South Kingston Monthly 
Meeting is dissolved, and the members thereof annexed to 
Greenwich Monthly Meeting. It provides that the books be 
delivered to some person to be appointed by Greenwich 
Monthly Meeting to receive them, and that all unfinished busi- 
ness be closed by that Monthly Meeting. It declares null and 
void the appointment of the addition to the committee, in the 
fifth month, in the case of John Wilbur, and the adoption of 
the report in his case ; also all that has been done in the case of 
Timothy C. Collins. It continues the same committee, with 
instructions to visit South Kingston Monthly Meeting, next 
to be held at Hopkinton, and there to read to that meeting 
this minute of the Quarterly Meeting, and advise those as- 
sembled quietly to separate, and hereafter to consider them- 
selves members of Greenwich Monthly Meeting, and under 
its care ; and the committee is authorized and directed to ex- 
tend its care over all the Monthly Meetings in the Quarter. 

At the Monthly Meeting held at Hopkinton on the 21st of 
11th month, 1842, several of the Quarterly Meeting's com- 
mittee attended, and read the minute of the Quarterly 



REMARKABLE DOINGS OF GREENWICH MONTHLY MEETING. 321 

Meeting, dissolving South Kingston Monthly Meeting, both 
in the men's and women's meetings, and advised the members 
in the language of that minute, " quietly to separate, and 
consider themselves members of Greenwich Monthly Meeting, 
and under its care ; " whereupon they withdrew, and eleven 
members of each meeting with them. Before they left, ap- 
plication was made to them on behalf of South Kingston 
Monthly Meeting, for a copy of the minute of the Quarterly 
Meeting, but they declined giving one. 

The Monthly Meeting continued together, and concluded 
to appeal to the next Yearly Meeting, against the decision of 
the Quarterly Meeting; and then, notwithstanding the in- 
justice and irregularity of the requirement, it was concluded 
to suspend the Monthly Meeting, until the Yearly Meeting 
shall have acted on the appeal. 

At Greenwich Monthly Meeting, held at East Greenwich, 
2d of 1st month, 1843, two members of the Yearly Meeting's 
committee, and one of the Quarterly Meeting's committee, 
besides those belonging to Greenwich Monthly Meeting, at- 
tended. 

One of the Yearly Meeting's committee requested that the 
minute of the Quarterly Meeting dissolving the Monthly 
Meeting be read, which was done. He then said it would 
be seen by this minute that the appointment of a part of the 
committee, and the report of the committee in the case of 
John Wilbur, were annulled, and that it now became the 
duty of the committee originally appointed, to report to this 
meeting. 

One of the two of that committee who made the counter 
report in the eighth month, inquired if it would not be proper 
for them to have another interview with John Wilbur, and 
this was concluded on. Objection was made to this proceed- 
ing, on the ground that South Kingston Monthly Meeting 
had appealed from the decision of the Quarterly Meeting; 
that the action against that meeting was solely in conse- 
quence of its decision in the case of John Wilbur ; that case 
was specified and fully brought to view, in the Quarterly 
Meeting's committee's advice and the Quarterly Meeting's 
minute, and the appeal ought to stay all proceedings in the 
case, until the Yearly Meeting should decide it. This just 



322 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

and reasonable ground was not allowed, but a member of the 
Yearly Meeting's committee, who had from the first been 
very active in the case, said that the appeal and this case 
were distinct matters. Another member of the same com- 
mittee urged, that if that Monthly Meeting intended to be 
subordinate to superior meetings, it must, as the Quarterly 
Meeting had directed, close the unfinished business of South 
Kingston Monthly Meeting, and this case was particularly 
mentioned and brought before them by the Quarterly Meet- 
ing's minute. It had annulled the proceedings of South 
Kingston Monthly Meeting in the case. 

It was replied, that South Kingston Monthly Meeting had 
appealed against all this, and that it would only be proper for 
the Monthly Meeting to carry out the direction of the Quar- 
terly Meeting, after the Yearly Meeting had decided that the 
Quarterly Meeting had done right. 

A minute was made directing the committee in the case of 
J. W. to report at a future meeting. 

At Greenwich Monthly Meeting, held at Coventry, 30th of 
1st month, 1843, three members of the Yearly Meeting's 
committee attended, besides those belonging to that meet- 
ing. The case of John Wilbur was taken up, and one of the 
committee appointed in the fourth month by South Kingston 
Monthly Meeting, stated that two of them had met, having 
given notice of the meeting to the others, and also to John 
Wilbur, that the latter might be present,* if he saw fit, and 
make an acknowledgement ; but he refused to attend. These 
two members of the committee now made the following 
report, to wit : — 

"We, of the committee appointed in the 4th month last, in the case 
of John Wilbur report : that we have attended to the duties assigned 
us by meeting John Wilbur and the Yearly Meeting's committee, and 
hearing the evidence in the case, and which was in our judgment suf- 
ficient to substantiate all the charges preferred against him, and which 
charges, having relation altogether to his departure from discipline and 
good order, it was evident to us his defence ought to be predicated on 
that ground alone. And whereas the other part of the Monthly Meet- 

* This -was incorrect; he was not asked to he present, hnt merely notified, by letter, 
of the time of tbeir meeting, and informed that he might send in an acknowledgment, 
if so disposed. 



HIS DISOWNMENT BY GREENWICH MONTHLY MEETING. 323 

ing's committee, were willing to allow him to make his defence, by- 
leaving this only legitimate ground, and go into a justification of his 
conduct by allusions to doctrines, and which in our view was entirely 
foreign to the subject-matter under consideration ; we, therefore, felt 
ourselves bound to dissent from such a course. And it is our united 
sense and judgment that he is not in a situation and state of mind, to be 
continued a member of our religious Society, which we submit to the 
Monthly Meeting. 

William S. Perry, 
Hezekiah Babcock. 
South Kingston, 1th mo. 23d, 1842. 

This report was the same as that presented by the same 
persons, to South Kingston Monthly Meeting in the eighth 
month. 

The meeting being now about to act upon the report, 
it was stated that the Complaint against J. W. had never been 
read in that Monthly Meeting ! and upon inquiry it was 
found that it was not now present in the meeting. 

The clerk sent a messenger for it, and the meeting sus- 
pended further proceedings in the case, until his return. 

When the complaint was brought in, it was read, and the 
report of the committee was then united with by most or all 
the members of the Yearly and Quarterly Meeting's com- 
mittees present, and but two others. 

Objection was made to the report by several Friends, but 
the clerk, an active member of the Yearly Meeting's com- 
mittee, made a minute adopting it, and John Wilbur was in 
this irregular and disorderly manner disowned. 

At Rhode Island Quarterly Meeting held at Providence, in 
the 2d month, 1843, one of the committee of South Kingston 
Monthly Meeting on their appeal, laid a copy of the appeal 
on the clerk's table in the early part of the meeting, and after 
a time the clerk stated that there was a paper on the table 
purporting to be an appeal from South Kingston Monthly 
Meeting, and asked for the direction of the meeting, as to 
what disposition should be made of it. It was proposed to 
appoint some Friends to take it and examine it, and report 
whether it should be read. The reading of the discipline re- 
lating to such appeals was called for, but the committee was 
first appointed, and after they had taken the appeal out for 



324 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

examination, considerable profession was made of willingness 
to have the discipline read, and it was then done. Shortly 
after, the committee returned the appeal, and recommended 
that it be read ; which being done, the clerk said Friends 
would observe, that there was the name of a Friend on the 
committee of the Monthly Meeting on the appeal, who had 
been placed under dealing by the action of the Quarterly 
Meeting. He said the meeting would decide whether they 
would allow that name to stand there, in case the appeal 
should go on their minutes. 

After considerable discussion, in which the injustice and in- 
compatibility with the discipline, of the act of the Quarterly 
Meeting was shown, the clerk made a minute stating in 
substance, that although the appeal contained the name of a 
Friend placed under dealing by the action of the Quarterly 
Meeting, we have concluded to enter it upon our minutes, 
and send it up to our next Yearly Meeting. 

One of the Yearly Meeting's committee corrected the clerk 
as to the latter clause, saying that the conclusion of the meet- 
ing was, to refer the consideration of it until next Quarter, 
w T hereupon he made that alteration. The same member of 
that committee proposed that the word " individual " should 
be substituted for " Friend," and the clerk at once made the 
change. 

While the appeal was in the hands of the committee, a 
member of South Kingston Monthly Meeting, (one of the 
committee on the appeal,) stated that at the time that Monthly 
Meeting was dissolved, a request was made of the Quarterly 
Meeting's committee, then present, for a copy of the minute 
authorizing the dissolution, but it was refused ; that since then 
application has been made to the clerk of the Quarterly Meet- 
ing for a copy, who also refused it, on the ground that he was 
not authorized to give it, without the authority of that meet- 
ing. He now requested of the meeting, on behalf of the com- 
mittee on the appeal, a copy of that minute. 

A member of the Yearly Meeting's committee said that the 
meeting had not come to any conclusion, as to the disposition 
of the appeal ; he thought it proper to wait until that was 
decided on, and then the subject might be taken up. The 
Friend who made the request, expressed his satisfaction with 



UNJUST PROCEEDINGS OF THE QUARTERLY MEETING. 325 

that course. Afterwards, when the appeal had been referred 
to the next Quarter, the clerk being about to proceed to other 
business, application was renewed on behalf of South Kings- 
ton Monthly Meeting, for a copy of the Quarterly Meeting's 
minute, but it was refused ; a member of the Yearly Meeting's 
committee saying; that he thought it improper to give a 
copy ! that it would be sufficient for them to furnish the 
Yearly Meeting with a copy! and this being sustained by 
other members of the same committee, the meeting proceeded 
with other business ; thus denying South Kingston Monthly 
Meeting a copy of the document by which it had been dis- 
solved, containing matters of the greatest importance relative 
to its case. 

At the Quarterly Meeting held at Greenwich in the 5th 
month, 1843, the account from Greenwich Monthly Meeting 
informed, that John "Wilbur having given them notice of his 
intention to appeal from their judgment disowning him, they 
had appointed a committee to represent the case before a 
committee of the Quarterly Meeting. It was stated on be- 
half of John Wilbur, that he did not intend to prosecute his 
appeal at that time. 

Representatives were appointed to attend the Yearly Meet- 
ing, one of whom asked to be excused, which being done, an- 
other was named in his place, but being obnoxious to those 
in authority, his name was rejected, upon the pretence that 
there were already enough appointed. 

The minute of the last meeting, relating to the appeal of 
South Kingston Monthly Meeting was read. A member of 
the Yearly Meeting's committee spoke of the great strait he 
was in, on account of the name of an individual, standing as 
one of the committee on the appeal, who had been placed 
under dealing by the action of the Quarterly Meeting ; and 
said he did not see how the appeal could be carried forward 
in its present shape. Another member of the Yearly Meet- 
ing's committee expressed himself in a similar manner. 

A Friend remarked if this was the case, Greenwich Monthly 
Meeting might have disowned all the members of the appeal 
committee, and thus have defeated it altogether. Another 
Friend said he thought the minute of the Quarterly Meeting 
carried its own condemnation on the face of it, stating as 

28 



326 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

it did that an individual was placed under dealing by the 
Quarterly Meeting ; he knew no discipline to warrant such a 
thing. 

The clerk said he was ready to propose that this appeal 
should be again referred! A Friend from South Kingston 
said the appeal was made to the next Yearly Meeting, and to 
refer it again would defeat it. 

It was now concluded to appoint a committee to represent 
the case at the Yearly Meeting, premising that none should 
be appointed, who did not unite with the proceedings in lay- 
ing the Monthly Meeting down. 

The committee on the appeal of South Kingston Monthly 
Meeting, made application in writing for access to the records 
of the Quarterly Meeting, with a view to the timely prepara- 
tion of the case ; referring to the discipline, " that our records 
shall be open to any of our meetings, particular members, and 
to such others as the respective Monthly Meetings may think 
necessary, for the ascertaining of marriages, births, or other 
rights:' Page 43. 

This request, after considerable discussion, was refused, 
and much severity of expression was indulged in towards the 
applicants ; after which a member of South Kingston Monthly 
Meeting rose, and very calmly commenced speaking, when 
a large number of persons in the body of the meeting rose 
and hurried out of the house, those at the head of the meet- 
ing shook hands, and it broke up in the greatest confusion 
and disorder. 

The voice of the person speaking was entirely drowned by 
the noise, and perceiving the meeting really breaking up, he 
desisted. 

At New England Yearly Meeting, held on Rhode Island, 
6th month, 1843. 

It appeared from the account of Rhode Island Quarterly 
Meeting, that a portion of Greenwich Monthly Meeting, late 
members of South Kingston Monthly Meeting, had appealed 
from their judgment dissolving said Monthly Meeting and an- 
nexing the same to Greenwich, and that they had appointed 
Perez Peck and others to represent the Quarterly Meeting be- 
fore a committee of the Yearly Meeting to be appointed to 
hear the appeal. 



TEIAL OF MONTHLY MEETING'S APPEAL. 327 

When this case came up, the clerk read the discipline relat- 
ing to such appeal, and remarked that it had been customary 
in cases of appeal to appoint a committee of two Friends 
from each Quarterly Meeting, but proposed in this case the 
appointment of three from each Quarter, which was united 
with. 

On behalf of South Kingston Monthly Meeting a desire 
was expressed to have the case tried in open Yearly Meeting, 
for the full information of the members generally before act- 
ing thereon, and referring to the practice of London Yearly 
Meeting, in important cases — where doctrines are involved. 
This was objected to on the ground that we must be gov- 
erned by our own discipline ; and that the usual mode of try- 
ing appeal cases should be adhered to. 

The clerk said that in cases of defamation, the discipline 
gave the person complained of the right to object to those 
named for a committee, provided such objection does not ex- 
tend to the major part thereof, but there was no discipline 
which would apply to cases of this kind. He said, however, 
that the usage of Society had been to allow appellants this 
privilege in other cases, so far as he knew. He proposed to 
read from the discipline of another Yearly Meeting ; but ob- 
jection being made on the ground that the Yearly Meeting 
had already decided that we must be governed by our own 
discipline, he did not read it. 

A Friend said if he was correctly informed, there was a 
large committee of the Yearly Meeting which had been ac- 
tive in this case, having repeatedly attended South Kingston 
Monthly Meeting, and advised in relation to the proceedings 
which had taken place in regard to that meeting ; and if so, 
he thought it improper to appoint members of that commit- 
tee, on this appeal. The clerk replied it might not be proper 
to appoint those of that committee who had attended South 
Kingston Monthly Meeting and been active in the case. Ob- 
jection was made on behalf of South Kingston Monthly 
Meeting to the appointment of any portion of the Yearly 
Meeting's committee, and allowing them to nominate for this 
committee. 

The clerk proceeded to take names, and having obtained 
the requisite number, inquiry was made whether any of the 



328 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

Yearly Meeting's committee was included among them. The 
clerk replied there was one ; that one asked to be excused, 
which being done, another Friend was appointed in his place. 
It was also stated that several members of the committee had 
been named by members of the Yearly Meeting's committee, 
and objection was made to these. 

A member of the Yearly Meeting's committee said, if these 
Friends were objected to, it would not probably stop there ; 
that objection would be made on the other side, &c. The 
committee was allowed to stand without further altera- 
tion. 

A Friend from Sandwich Quarterly Meeting said, it ap- 
peared evident to him from the discipline, as read by the 
clerk, that the Quarterly Meeting had departed from it, in an- 
nexing South Kingston Monthly Meeting to another, while 
at the same time the Monthly Meeting has appealed against 
the dissolution. If he understood it right, the discipline only 
allows such annexation in case the Monthly Meeting refuses 
to appeal 

He requested the clerk again to read that paragraph giving 
this right of annexation. The assistant clerk then read the 
succeeding paragraph. The Friend said this was not the one, 
but the preceding one he wished read. 

The whole passage was then read ; when done, the Friend 
said it was very clear that the discipline had not been kept 
to, for the Monthly Meeting not only had not refused to ap- 
peal, but the Quarterly Meeting had given us information 
that it had actually appealed. 

DISCIPLINE, 

Authorizing the dissolution of Monthly Meetings, Sfc. 

(From Book of Discipline, pages 118, 119.) 

" When a Quarterly Meeting hath come to a judgment 
respecting any difference, relative to any Monthly Meeting 
belonging to them, and notified the same in writing to such 
Monthly Meeting, the said Monthly Meeting ought to sub- 
mit to the judgment of the Quarterly Meeting ; but if such 
Monthly Meeting shall not be satisfied therewith, then the 



EEFUSAL TO READ THE APPEAL. 329 

Monthly Meeting may appeal to the Yearly Meeting, against 
the judgment and determination of the Quarterly Meet- 
ing. 

"And if a Monthly Meeting shall refuse to take the advice 
and submit to the judgment of the Quarterly Meeting, and 
notwithstanding will not appeal against the determination 
of the said meeting to the Yearly Meeting ; in such case the 
Quarterly Meeting shall be at liberty either to dissolve such 
Monthly Meeting, or bring the affair before the next or suc- 
ceeding Yearly Meeting. 

"And in case a Quarterly Meeting shall dissolve a Monthly 
Meeting, the dissolved Monthly Meeting or any part thereof, 
in the name of the said meeting, shall be at liberty to appeal 
to the next or succeeding Yearly Meeting, against such dis- 
solution ; but if the dissolved Monthly Meeting, or a part 
thereof in its behalf, shall not appeal to the Yearly Meeting, 
the Quarterly Meeting shall, join the members of the said 
late Monthly Meeting, to such other Monthly Meeting as they 
may think most convenient ; and until such time,* shall take 
care that no inconvenience doth thereby ensue to the mem- 
bers of such dissolved meeting, respecting any branch of oar 
discipline. 

"And if any of the Monthly Meeting, to which the Quar- 
terly Meeting shall join the whole or a part of the late Monthly 
Meeting, do think themselves aggrieved, they shall be at 
liberty to appeal against the Quarterly Meeting to the Yearly 
Meeting, and until such appeal is heard and determined, the 
Friends added by the Quarterly Meeting to them, shall be 
deemed their members. 1743." 

The clerk was requested to read the " appeal," a copy of 
which was in his hands, and several Friends expressed a wish 
to have it read, when one of the Yearly Meeting's committee 
said, that by our discipline, no paper could be read in our 
meetings not coming from an immediate correspondent, un- 
less first examined by a committee. To this is was replied, 
that the discipline made these appellants immediate corre- 

* This portion of Discipline was transcribed from that of London Yearly Meeting, 
and adopted here. In the original the words "until such junction " were used instead 
of " until such time." 

28* 



830 JOURNAL OF JOHX WILBUR. 

spondents by giving the right of appeal ; and that the Yearly 
Meeting ought to know the grounds on which the appeal is 
made. 

After considerable discussion it was decided not to read it ! 

At the last sitting of the Yearly Meeting the committee on 
the appeal presented two reports; the first, that the judgment 
of Rhode Island Quarterly Meeting ought to be confirmed, 
which was signed by thirteen members. 

The other, that the judgment of the Quarterly Meeting 
ought to be reversed, because some of its proceedings were in 
violation of the discipline. This latter report was signed by 
six members. 

Two members of the committee did not sign either report. 

The report of the majority was adopted. 

At Rhode Island Quarterly Meeting, in the 8th month, 
1843, a committee of nine was appointed in the case of John 
Wilbur's appeal, and an attempt was made to appoint mem- 
bers of the Yearly Meeting's committee. This was opposed, 
on the ground that they had already prejudged the case, and 
some of them, several times over. It was relinquished ; but 
a proposition that none should be appointed who were not in 
unity with " the body," was adopted and acted upon. The 
name of a Friend who had taken no active part in the case, 
was refused, merely because he was known to disapprove of 
some of the proceedings of the Quarterly Meeting. 

On asking for J. W. the privilege of objecting to a part of 
the committee, if he should desire it, agreeably to discipline, 
in case of detraction, and a usage in all cases ; one of the 
Yearly Meeting's committee took the ground, that the com- 
plaint against J. W. was not for detraction ; that if the word 
detraction was in the complaint, it was incidental, and as to 
usage, it was of no consequence ; the meeting could do as it 
pleased!! It was decided that J. W. could not be allowed 
to object to any of the committee, unless the committee of 
Greenwich Monthly Meeting were allowed to object to an 
equal number, for which no provision is made in the discipline. 
In the discussion of this question, as many opposed this de- 
cision as favored it ; and of the latter the Yearly and Quar- 
terly Meeting's committees were the principal actors. 

John "Wilbur being called in, plead for his right of objec- 



EXTRAORDINARY ACTS OF QUARTERLY MEETING. 331 

tion, both on ground of discipline and usage, but without 
effect, and finally said, if this was the conclusion of the meet- 
ing he should not attempt to exercise the right of objection, 
as it would be of no value. 

The committee appointed at this time, proposed to meet at 
Somerset, in the 11th month, at which time J. W. attended, 
when the committee informed him they had ascertained that 
one of their number was named by a member of Greenwich 
Monthly Meeting, which was not proper, and they could not 
consent to proceed on that account. J. Wilbur told them he 
came there [near fifty miles] prepared to proceed, and was 
anxious to do so, and that he would waive all objections on 
account of the irregularity named; but they pressed the 
objection, and adjourned to meet at Providence in the 2d 
month, 1844. 

At the Quarterly Meeting in the 11th month, 1843, it was 
stated that a member of the committee on the appeal of 
J. W. had been improperly named by a member of Green- 
wich Monthly Meeting, and the clerk suggested that the same 
Friend should be named by one of his own Monthly Meet- 
ing, which was done, and the committee stood as it did 
before. This committee met at Providence previous to the 
Quarterly Meeting held there in the second month, and gave 
J. W. a hearing. 

At that Quarterly Meeting six of the committee reported 
in favor of confirming the judgment of Greenwich Monthly 
Meeting, two signed a contrary report, and one was not pres- 
ent. Both reports were read. One of the Yearly Meeting's 
committee was the first to unite with the report of the major- 
ity ; he was followed by two others, who were not only of the 
same committee, but also of Greenwich Monthly Meeting! 
both very active in that meeting in favor of J. W.'s disown- 
ment! being also of the number of those who visited South 
Kingston Monthly Meeting so constantly, and who were 
before the committee of that meeting as prosecutors in the 
same case ! 

On being reminded of the impropriety of this proceeding, 
another of the Yearly Meeting's committee immediately 
united, and these four were all signers of the complaint 
against J. Wilbur!! Others of the Yearly and Quarterly 



332 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUB. 

Meeting's committee followed, and not more than three or 
four are believed to have united with the majority report who 
were not of these committees. Some united with the other 
report, but the first was decided by the clerk to be adopted, 
and he made a minute to that effect. 

It was inquired whether John Wilbur would be allowed to 
come in and hear the conclusion ; this inquiry being answered 
in the affirmative, he was called in and the clerk read the 
report and the minute adopting it. 

J. W. informed the meeting that he considered their decis- 
ion not a rightful one, and that he wished to appeal to the 
Yearly Meeting against the judgment of this meeting. He 
then left the house. The appointment of a committee to 
represent the Quarter was referred to the next meeting. 

At New England Yearly Meeting, held on Rhode Island, 
6th month, 1844, the account from Rhode Island Quarterly 
Meeting brought to view the appeal of John "Wilbur against 
the conclusion of that meeting confirming the judgment 
of Greenwich Monthly Meeting disowning him. A com- 
mittee of twenty-one was appointed, to which the case was 
referred. In the appointment of this committee, the meet- 
ing decided that members of the standing committee of the 
Yearly Meeting, who had heretofore been engaged in the case 
of J. W., and those Friends who constituted the committee 
appointed last year, on the appeal of South Kingston Monthly 
Meeting, (the two cases being nearly similar,) should be ex- 
cluded. It was further proposed that those who had openly 
expressed themselves opposed to the proceedings of the Yearly 
Meeting should also be excluded. 

The meeting decided in favor of the proposition, and when 
a name was offered, supposed to be of the class alluded to 
therein, it was rejected. 

The right was asked for the appellant to be present and 
object to a portion of the committee, should he desire it, in 
conformity with the discipline and usages of the Society. 
This gave rise to considerable discussion, and views of an 
opposite character were expressed. 

The meeting finally decided that the appellant might 
state his objections if he desired, and the meeting would 
take them into consideration, and decide on their validity. 



JOHN WILBUR'S DISOWNMENT CONSUMMATED. 333 

This was objected to on the ground that it would render the 
right of no value, and that there was neither discipline nor 
usage for it. 

The appellant was called into the meeting, and the privi- 
lege of objecting proffered him under this restriction. It 
was declined. He requested to be allowed some one to 
assist him before the committee, as from his age and infirmity 
it would be a hard task for him to perform the necessary 
labor. Many expressed themselves in favor of granting this 
request, but the meeting decided against it ! 

The committee having completed the investigation, reported 
in favor of confirming the judgment of the Quarterly Meeting ; 
one of their number declining to sign the report, which was 
adopted by the meeting. 

John Wilbur, desiring to be present to hear the report of the 
committee and conclusion of the meeting in his case, was 
called in, and they were read in his hearing. After sitting 
a short time in silence, he rose, and remarked in substance, 
that however unjust he believed the decision to be, yet he 
should entertain no hardness against any concerned in the 
procedings against him ; that it was his desire that none of our 
members should depart from the ancient principles and testi- 
monies of the Society, nor suffer any innovation upon them ; 
these had been dear to him from his youth up, and were still 
dear to him ; he then withdrew. 



[It will be apparent to the reader of the foregoing narrative 
that South Kingston Monthly Meeting was laid down in a 
very extraordinary manner, in violation of the plain provis- 
ions of the discipline ; and that it was done for the purpose 
of bringing John Wilbur again within reach of the Yearly 
Meeting's committee, in another Monthly Meeting which was 
entirely under their control. His disownment there was only 
effected through the direct action and influence of that com- 
mittee, in a summary and most irregular manner, in utter dis- 
regard of his rights as a member. These proceedings, under 
the same pervading and desolating influence, were confirmed 
on appeal to the superior meetings, in 1843 and 1844. 



334 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

It may be proper here to show the manner in which these 
sad perversions of right order were afterwards overruled, and 
how those who were so unjustly cast out for their faithful 
stand against innovation upon our principles, were restored to 
their just position and station in the Society. Near the close 
of the year 1844, in the progress of the measures adopted by 
those supporting the new views, to enforce a conformity to 
their rule, they effected a separation (through the action of 
the Yearly Meeting's committee, assisted by a committee 
from the Quarter,) in Swanzey Monthly Meeting, which was 
speedily followed by further separations throughout Rhode 
Island Quarterly Meeting, of which that Monthly Meeting 
was a component part. After these had taken place, the Quar- 
terly Meeting, though much reduced in numbers, was relieved 
of that unhallowed influence and rule which had so long pre- 
vailed therein ; and many members* of the late South Kings- 
ton Monthly Meeting gave written information to the 
Quarter, that they felt themselves aggrieved, and the princi- 
ples and Discipline of the Society to have been sorrowfully 
violated, in the dissolution of the Monthly Meeting, and that 
they desired the restoration thereof, believing it would " con- 
tribute to the right vindication and establishment of the prim- 
itive Christian doctrines, discipline and order of our religious 
Society ; " which request was, by the Quarterly Meeting, for- 
warded to the Yearly Meeting, with the expression of its 
" deliberate, united sense and judgment, that the cause of 
Truth does require that the Yearly Meeting should reverse 
its former decision in the case, and restore South Kings- 
ton Monthly Meeting, with the rights and privileges and 
obligations belonging to it, and resting upon it prior to its 
dissolution." 

John Wilbur also gave notice to Greenwich Monthly Meet- 
ing, of his intention to appeal to the Yearly Meeting for a 
reconsideration of his case, and a reversal of its judgment 
therein. The Monthly Meeting united in requesting the 
Quarterly Meeting to " forward a minute to the Yearly 
Meeting respecting this case, as one of unjust dealing, 
requiring its reconsideration, and a reversal of its former 
decision ; " which was done by the Quarterly Meeting, with 

* Upwards of eighty. 



JOHN WILBUR'S RESTORATION. 335 

an expression of its judgment " that this case, equally with 
that of South Kingston Monthly Meeting, calls for the like 
action on the part of the Yearly Meeting." 

These appeals came before the Yearly Meeting in 1845, 
after the separation ; and upon a full and thorough investiga- 
tion, the former judgment of the Yearly Meeting was in both 
cases reversed, the Monthly Meeting reestablished, and John 
Wilbur restored to his right of membership and station of 
minister in our religious Society.] 



336 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 



CHAPTER VI. 

CORRESPONDENCE FROM 1841 TO 1851 INCLUSIVE. 

[In the early part of this painful controversy, many Friends 
in different parts of the Society who took decided ground 
against the innovations of Gurney and others, and continued 
faithful for a season, fellow-helpers and sympathizers with 
John Wilbur in his labors and trials, afterwards yielded to the 
powerful influences brought to bear upon them, and fell away 
from their integrity, coming to support the very things which 
they had but lately testified against. These cases were cause 
of deep sorrow to this true and faithful Friend, both on ac- 
count of the lamentable condition of such backsliders them- 
selves, and the effect which their apostasy was calculated to 
have upon others regarding the precious cause he had so much 
at heart. With several of these he labored both personally 
and by letter, in love unfeigned but with faithfulness and 
truth, for their restoration ; manifesting an ardent desire for 
their eternal welfare, and that they might not make shipwreck 
of the faith. 

A few of the letters he wrote on these occasions are given 
in this volume, one of which here follows.] 

FROil J. W. TO ELI AXD SYBIL JONES. 

Hopkinton, 2d mo., 11th, 1S41. 

MY DEAR FRIENDS ELI AND SYBIL JONES, 

I have not heard from you since you left Fall River, but many times 
have I thought of you, and more especially of late, and as I believe in 
that which revives a living evidence of the unity of the one Spirit, as 
well as the fellowship of the gospel of Christ in the bonds whereof 
his messengers can greet each other — can greet those that are in bonds 
as being bound with them ; and how truly great is their work of with- 
standing that which is evil, and of furthering that which is srood, of 



LETTER TO ELI AND SYBIL JONES. 337 

pulling down the kingdom of Satan, and of building up the kingdom 
of Christ the Redeemer. To be bound to such a work as this, is a 
solemn, and a high and holy calling, of which I am sure you are 
well aware, as also that the anointing of the savor of life, in and by 
that gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation, is the ap- 
pointed and only means of the exaltation of God's kingdom and power 
successfully among men. Wherever that is raised up, it is and must 
necessarily be upon the ruins of Satan's empire in their hearts, and 
accomplished only through contention and strife, even to making war 
in righteousness against the mighty foe wherever he may have en- 
camped himself, and in whatever form, or under whatever name he 
may be seen and detected, even by that true light of Christ, without 
which you know that his warriors and messengers will run in vain, 
and instead of saving the lives of others will jeopard their own. 
The stronghold and kingdom of the enemy is in the minds of men ; 
and although he is a distinct being, his dominion is only known in the 
hearts of men, that is, in this world — in the hearts of those who re- 
ceive him and serve him. Hence when the poor warrior of Christ's 
banner makes war against him (otherwise than in his own heart) he 
necessarily has a twofold contention and combat, namely, with the 
enemy combined with his servants. And more especially arduous must 
be the contest, when his servants are many and leagued together ; and 
most of all under the dominion of a spurious religion. The popular 
prevalence of such a state of things combined with power, has un- 
doubtedly been the hardest thing which the Lord's messengers have 
ever had to contend with in this lower world ; a stronghold of which 
Satan has been wont proudly to possess himself; and however little by 
little were his strides in the primitive Christian church, yet alas how 
lamentably he finally succeeded in apostatizing and corrupting that once 
best of all bodies, which instead of continuing to be the spouse, the 
Lamb's wife, degenerated into a horde of sordid, cruel oppressors, and 
even murderers of the faithful. 

How easily might that apostasy have been arrested at first whilst 
yet it had gained but little ground, by a united stand of the church at 
large. But alas ! what inexpressible suffering and rivers of blood it 
cost, to obtain but a partial reformation after the consummation of the 
lapse of the church into formality and idolatry. Again how the fear 
of man, the love of ease, and the dread of conflict and controversy, 
unhappily induced the primitive Christians to jeopard the standing and 
safety of the church. Satan who had striven in vain to destroy them 
from without, now resorts to a different stratagem. Men of influence, 
talent and learning, having got above the pure witness in themselves, 
introduced innovations by degrees within her pale, upon her pure doc- 
29 



338 JOUEXAL OF JOHN WILBUB. 

trines and practices, until at length her principles were subverted and 
her destiny sealed. Is it not wonderful as well as sorrowful that 
the cry of these innovators of peace, of safety and security, should 
have deterred the faithful from sounding the alarm at the insid- 
ious approach of an enemy, and of unflinchingly making a stand 
against him ; for it is not altogether unlikely that there were some if 
not many who from time to time saw the danger which awaited them 
and gave warning of it, but were decried and made unpopular by the 
leaders in those innovations, and their credulous adherents. Herein 
the plausibility of the snare consisted, and the great subtlety and power 
of the enemy was successful, the cry being peace, peace, no detraction, 
no controversy, &c. 

Now in this view and mirror of former times, we clearly see the face 
of things in these our days. The Hicksites at the West, whilst they 
were persistently undermining Quakerism, were plausibly avowing their 
integrity, and at the same time striving to avoid all inquiry, and to 
stop the mouths of the honest by crying peace, peace, love and unity, 
no detraction, no controversy. The very same course was taken by 
Isaac Crewdson and his party in England, as also by Elisha Bates, 
striving to impress the minds, even of honest Friends, (and sometimes 
successfully,) that it was improper to speak of any apprehended danger, 
lest, as they said, the peace and quiet of the Society should be disturbed, 
and the good order broken. It was seen, however, that those plausible 
pretensions were but the seductions of the enemy, because the principal 
movers of them had evidently departed from Friends' doctrine and only 
resorted to this artful policy to avoid detection. Time was as above 
hinted, when the grand enemy warred against the true church by his 
ministers from without. This was the case both in the primitive times 
and in the days of George Fox and his cotemporaries ; causing great 
contention and controversy, at each of those periods, though we know 
most in relation to the latter. And our early Friends, honestly and man- 
fully met and rebutted every attack upon the true doctrines of the gos- 
pel, in due season, and without fear of consequences. And. how are we 
to suppose that God's tender image of purity and uprightness was pre- 
served in them and kept alive, amid the strife of tongues, and such a 
mighty controversy? Was it not because they were covered with the 
armor of God ? Was it not because they accounted not their own lives 
dear in coming up to the help of the Lord against the mighty ? Was 
it not because they walked in the light, and dwelt in the life, and were 
endowed with the temper and spirit of heaven? Was it not because the 
Captain of their salvation led them out and brought them in and covered 
them with his unfailing power in the day of battle ? Was it not because 
their plaindealiug with those who committed wrong upon the Truth, was 



LETTER TO ELI AND SYBIL JONES. 339 

in the love of Christ, and therein extended, as well for their recovery 
as for the defence of his doctrines and testimonies ? And now, my 
dear friends, if such resisting of that which is evil from an enemy 
without the camp, was in the will and ordering of the blessed Head of 
the church, what may we suppose is his will in relation to resisting that 
which is evil and dangerous within our walls ? Men, women and chil- 
dren were then united in making a stand against the opposers of Truth's 
doctrines. And inasmuch as those doctrines are as eminently valua- 
ble, both to us and to the world now, as they were then, is it not as 
needful that all of every class, should unite heart and hand in with- 
standing and repelling everything which tends to lead off and scatter 
from the blessed standard of life and power, in all that is worth the 
name of religion. Is the danger less to the flock, when the wolf 
has attired himself with the sheep's clothing, and made his way into 
the fold ? Is less effort requisite expelling and getting him out than 
to prevent his coming in ? And if God's testimonies and doctrines 
are as dear to himself now as they were in former times, when he gave 
the lives of many of his faithful children for them, will he not extend 
the arm of his power for the spiritual preservation of those who walk 
in his fear and trust in him in fulfilling his command, in their allot- 
ment of watching over the flock now, as well as formerly ? We read in 
Acts xx. 28th, " Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the 
flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the 
church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood ; for I 
know this, that after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among 
you, not sparing the flock," &c. And the solemn charge to Ezekiel, 
in. 20th, " When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, 
because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die, but his blood 
will I require at thy hand." This passage has divers times been 
brought home to my mind ; and if the church were substituted for the 
righteous man, how vastly greater the responsibility upon him who 
neglecteth or refuseth to give warning. But this warning we know 
must be in the spirit and temper of the gospel, in that love and meek- 
ness which entertaineth no personal animosity, in that wisdom described 
by the apostle as being first pure, then peaceable, &c. Why did Wil- 
liam Penn advise Joseph Pike to read controversy on the doctrines of 
Friends, if it were not for his confirmation in them — he knew that J. 
P. was no superficial man, and that he had no life in the faults and 
failings of others ; but he knew that to see the deformity and tendency 
of bad doctrines, would be likely to enhance and confirm the excellency 
of the good in that sincere and upright man. At this day there seems 
to be'no safety without it — to compare all doctrines now introduced to 
our reading with the standard ; and for those who cannot test them 



340 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR 

with a standard within themselves — to test them by a comparison with 
Barclay and other sound writers. This letter has been written to you 
in the liberty of gospel freedom, and if you have any remarks to make 
upon it. let them come as freely. In the full feeling of gospel love to 
you both I must now say farewell, and am your friend. 

Joh>* Wilbur. 



FROM MARGARET CROSFIELD TO J. TV. 

Liverpool, 5th mo,, 1st. 1541. 

MY DEAR FRIEXD JOH2J WLLBYE. 

Though it is long since I penned anything direct to thee, yet not through 
forgetfulness, nor the want of continued affectionate regard have I with- 
held, but lest I should prevent my husband writing, and so occasion thee 
loss instead of profit. Thy letter of the 27th of 9th month, came safely 
to hand, and was truly acceptable, as thine always are ; but it furnished 
abundant cause for mournful reflection, and called forth anew our sym- 
pathy with thee, our beloved Mend, in thy many and deep trials, — trials 
which we can, by present and past experience, appreciate in some de- 
gree, and with little prospect at this time of any other portion. What 
can my poor, feeble pen do to sustain or comfort thee under these con- 
flicts. — what but commend thee, with myself, to our merciful Father, in 
whose cause thou art suffering ? and to assure thee of the love and con- 
tinued sympathy of many of thy friends in this land, by whom thy labors 
amongst us will never be forgotten. We communicated with George 
and Ann Jones on the subject of thine, being lately at their Quarterly 
Meeting, and mourned together. Our Society, in this land, is in a 
wonderful mixture, and in many places a great fermentation is going 
on. I should think, in most of our Quarterly Meetings, there were 
members who have received the rite of water-baptism ; and such cases 
are not brought forward for dealing, if they continue to attend our 
meetings, so far as I know, except in one case in Yorkshire. * * * * 
Many of the descendants of the old stock are thus turning their backs, 
and stumbling at the Cross, which leaves many vacant places, and truly 
it may be said, that the sons of aliens become our vine-dressers. In our 
country, it is sorrowful to remark how few (hardly any) of the chil- 
dren of our ministers, come forward in any way as Friends, — many up 
and down quite gone. If Friends had been faithful and fearless, things 
would never have got to this pass : but now, I believe, two thirds of 
our members are what is called Evangelical. In the Men's Yearly 
Meeting, that party sways entirely, and in our Select Yearly Meefing ; 
but not so much in our Women's Yearly Meeting, though much more 



LETTER FROM MARGARET CROSSFIELD. 341 

than formerly. ****** I f ear it will be a disappointment 
to thee to receive this from me, instead of my husband, but I expect it 
will soon be followed by one from him, giving thee some account of 
our Yearly Meeting now near at hand. The Grosvenor-street meeting- 
house, at Manchester, owned by the separatists from us there, is offered 
for sale or to let, the congregation having dwindled away. Isaac 
Crewdson travels up and down performing the rite of water-baptism 
on such as he can persuade to receive it. I believe most of our Friends 
who have submitted to it, have received it at his hands. 

Anna Braithwaite said, some years ago, that it was inexplicable to 
her why she was discountenanced and looked upon with distrust, while 
J. J. Gurney was received and caressed by the same persons, for their 
sentiments were very similar ; which was a remark not easily answered. 
His popularity is very great ; a certain courtliness of manner, seconded 
by a very liberal use of his immense wealth, gives him great influence 
with the young, and with persons in limited circumstances. His min- 
istry has long been a burden to me, and is less satisfactory even, since his 
return from your land. His writings I have only read in part, admiring 
them no way ; his style is artificial and formal, and difficult to under- 
stand ; but those parts quoted in thy letter, with the help of thy annota- 
tions, I can comprehend. They are not in accordance with the writings 
of our forefathers, nor do they meet the witness for Truth in me, — far 
otherwise. At that most trying and tedious Select Yearly Meeting, 
when he laid his concern to visit you before us, the first who spoke was 
that valiant man, William Gundry, who said that he ought to satisfy 
Friends that his sentiments had undergone a change before he could 
approve his concern ; after Sarah Grubb, Ann Coning, and myself 
had spoken, a relative of J. J. G. said, that the spirit that actuated our 
opposition was from beneath, for which she was afterwards reproved 
with little effect ; altogether it was a most trying time. * * * * 
It is true, I fear, that the greater part of English Friends are like those 
thou speaks of in New England, (and they are the most influential 
class,) " changing the ground of our primitive doctrines," yet there are 
many up and down who faithfully adhere in principle and practice to 
our old standards as displayed by Fox, Penn, and Barclay. With 
these, as way opens, we shall confer. 

Thy affectionate friend, 

Margaret Crosfield. 
29* 



342 JOUENAL OF JOHN WILBUR, 

FROM THOMAS B. GOULD TO J. W. 

Newport, 1st of 6th mo., 1841. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

********** 

Although I have taken no notice, hitherto, on this sheet, of thy re- 
peated conflicts with thy committees at Greenwich, it is not because I am 
indifferent about it. No, my dear friend, not in the least ; for my 
heart is full of sympathy with thee in thy sufferings ; at any rate, it is 
as full as my very small, and, I often think, decreasing capacity for 
feeling will admit ; for I do have to tread myself in very low places, 
and as to any more enlargement, I am ready to conclude the day and 
time for it is passed over, so that my prison will prove my grave. But 
I do believe, that the victory will be given thee over all thine enemies, 
even by him who hath hitherto covered thy head in the day of battle, 
and on every successive engagement, so that they have not been per- 
mitted to hurt a single hair ; for " how should one be enabled to chase a 
thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had 
sold them, and the Lord had shut them up ? " I am persuaded that 
they now are even ready to call upon the rocks to cover them, to hide 
their shame, for they are at their wits' end ! They know not what to 
do ; and I should not be at all surprised, if they should be themselves 
caught in the very net which they have laid for thee. And thou hadst 
a renewed opportunity at Greenwich to see how He who hath called, 
qualified and sent thee, as he did one formerly, unto a captivated 
people, in a " land of darkness," to lead them forth, that they may serve 
him according to his will, and not Pharoah's, — I say, thou hadst re- 
newed evidence of his providential care, in that He stood between thee 
and thy pursuers, as in a cloud, which, doubtless, gave thee light, but 
was darkness unto them. And how they were troubled by it ! And 
were not their chariot-wheels smitten off, so that they drave them 
heavily ? Thy account of it did seem wonderful to me, and not to me 
alone. Oh, that silence, which succeeded the reading of thy letter ! I 
thought it might truly have been said, " Marvellous things did he [as] 
in the land of Egypt, [as] in the field of Zoan." And never fear, 
my dear friend, for he who has been with thee in six troubles, will 
not desert thee in the seventh ! But it was not till Egypt had been 
smitten with all his wonders, that they let the people go formerly ; and 
it is not for thyself alone that they are suffered to pursue thee so 
sharply ; the Lord will doubtless be honored by it, and his glorious 
cause advanced ; generations unborn will hear of these things, and 
speak of them, and rank them among his wonderful works. 

********** 

I remain thy friend, 

Thos. B. Gould. 



LETTER FROM L. A. BARCLAY. 343 



FROM L. A. BARCLAY TO J. W. 



Reigate, Surrey, 6th mo., 21st, 1841. 
Ah ! my dear friend, it is so cheering and strengthening to hear from 
thee ; it seems to give one a little lift amid the trials of the day, although 
thy account was indeed a mournful one ; — how painful, that those who 
are leaders of the people, and should be patterns of good things, should 
show that such a wrong spirit is ruling in them ! I do, indeed, very 
tenderly sympathize with thee under such suffering as thou must go 
through, and one's heart seemed filled with praise and admiration of 
that divine Power who enables his humble, faithful servants and children 
to wax valiant in fight, and preserves them in the meekness of true 
wisdom ; and I do trust thou wilt be supported to the end through all 
that may be permitted to come upon thee in the unflinching " defence of 
the gospel." ******* When I last heard from Sarah 
L. Grubb, she particularly wished her tender sympathy and love in the 
unchangeable Truth " to thee. But I must copy what she says, for it is 
thy due. I had sent her thy kind letter to read, which, she says, " is 
very confirming as to my own views of the present state of things 
amongst us. I am truly glad to find that dear J. W. has maintained his 
ground so nobly. I had thought much of him for a considerable time 
past, and wished to know, were it possible that one so eminently chosen 
for advocating Truth's testimonies could be turned at all aside by fair 
appearances ; for there is something in this day like the chameleon 
change of color. Was there, indeed, ever a time when the grand adver- 
sary showed himself in his various transformations as now ? Ah ! we 
had need be endued with that wisdom that is of an opposite character 
from his, ' the crooked serpent,' even what comes ' from above,' 
which, while it is gentle and easy to be entreated, gives true discern- 
ment, and penetrates the false coverings, however gilded and calculated 
to deceive. Well, my dear friend, we are yet favored to see a few 
overcomers, who are made pillars in the temple, hewn out and estab- 
lished by an almighty, all-skilful Hand, — what a mercy ! Yes, ' wis- 
dom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her pillars.' Our 
beloved brother could not have been one of these any other way than 
by entire passiveness to the power working in him, both to will and to 
do of the good pleasure of Him whose understanding is infinite, and, 
therefore, not to be comprehended by that which is finite. It is my 
humble trust, that the great Head of the church will yet separate more 
manifestly, ' that which doth serve him, from that which serveth him 
not,' even * the precious from the vile,' to his own glory, — bringing the 
righteous to shine forth as the light in the kingdom of their Father, 



344 JOUEXAL OF JOES WILBUR. 

evidencing that they are truly under His government, whose right it is 
to sway his sceptre in the hearts of the children of men, and whose 
dominion is forever and ever. Amen." 

****** j rema - n ^ near ]y un ited and affectionate 
friend, Lydia A. Barclay. 



FROM J. TV. TO THOMAS B. GOULD. 

Hopkiuton, 7th mo., 16th, 1841. 

MY DEAR THOMAS, 

Thy very acceptable letter came to hand in due course ; but I still 
remain unable to do much by way of a paper correspondence, but will 
just say that my fractured limb appears to be doing as well as can be 
expected for the time. * * * * It appears that the 
bones have become united, though they have not yet acquired much 
strength. I find no cause at all to complain of my lot, fully believ- 
ing that my confinement will prove profitable to me ; having always 
found that whatsoever tends to reduce and humble the natural mind, 
if patiently endured, and received as ordered or permitted by God, 
proves profitable, as it may and does contribute to deepen my hold on 
him. And truly, much room there was and still is, in the great pro- 
fundity of his power and wisdom, for me to get down through all that 
is movable or changeable, to the everlasting Rock whereon alone 
there is perfect safety ; from whence neither the sorrow of friends, nor 
rejoicing of enemies can move the feet of those who stand fast thereon. 
Nor need the blowing of the wind or vehement beating of the storm, 
be any discouragement to these, although the blindness of man may 
deem such provings to have been the fruits of God's displeasure and 
indignation. But I know not, my dear Thomas, that the exigencies of 
the true church in the days of its greatest perils, ever required clearer 
vision, or that its standard-bearers should be more livingly prepared 
by the baptism of Christ's sufferings, than at this very memorable time ! 
No matter how much evil may be said of them (without cause) for his 
sake, and for his cause's sake, if they are deeply grounded in that 
blessed Truth which changeth not ; then they shall stand and the 
cause shall prosper in their hands — no matter how adverse the winds 
nor how frequently they change, if these have good ground and are 

furnished with the sure anchor of God's Providence. 

***** 

I have not yet been off the bed, but hope I shall be able to do so in 
a week more, but great caution will be necessary. 

* * * * I that which I trust 

changeth not. I am thy friend, John Wilbur. 



LETTER TO THOMAS B. GOULD. 345 



FROM J. W. TO THOMAS B. OOULD. 

Hopkinton, 12th mo., 14th, 1841. 

* * The transactions, as thou wilt have 

heard, respecting Mary Davis and Isaac Mitchell, seem to have been 
perfectly in accordance with Gurneyism, and no worse than we had 
reason to expect, now so near as we are approximating towards the 
consummation of our troubles ; the endurance whereof is certainly not 
joyous, but grievous ; and only as they are borne in true Christian 
patience it is, that these afflictions will contribute to an exceeding and 
eternal weight of glory ; of which things I do not speak with the least 
apprehension that they are unknown to thee, my dear fellow-sufferer, 
but as being well known and appreciated. 

But truly, if we might be favored to escape with our lives, until the 
Lord of Sabaoth shall be pleased to say it is enough, how then shall 
we rejoice in his salvation. But at the same time, though it be but 
human, the prayer can hardly be forborne, that the Lord Almighty 
would hasten the time of our deliverance, and that not for ourselves 
alone, but for others, lest faith, both theirs and ours, should not endure 
the test of a sore and perilous and protracted warfare ! Nay, but how- 
ever good it is to look forward, and to see things clearly that are com- 
ing and must come, yet as to the endurance of labor and affliction, 
our prayer for ability must be day by day ; and then we shall find, 
that the evil is not only sufficient for the day, but the day sufficient for 
the evil ; and now and then a little time to spare, for the renewal of 
our hope in the arm of God's salvation. Oh ! then, seeing the promise 
rests upon this one thing, " to them who love God shall all things work 
together for good," let us gather unto him, and sink down into the 
ocean of his love ! And then, though the voice of the enemy may roar 
tremendously, and a flood may be poured forth out of his mouth after 
the woman, yet our dwelling will be in safety and out of his reach, 
because love is an element in which the Dragon cannot live ; because 
God is love, unto whom he cannot come. 

But with what language shall we describe the condition and enjoy- 
ment of the little, humble, faithful followers of a crucified Saviour ? 
Their communion is with him and with one another ; and when they 
come together, and can speak one to another, as they desire often to 
do, what joy, what salutations, what tender embraces ! And He who 
is Lord over all, delighteth in the pure love of his children, to him- 
self and to one another. What a brave thing then, to be happily num- 
bered with those who serve him, through all those perils which the 



346 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

apostle enumerates, or so many of them as the Lord in wisdom shall 
permit, for the full proof of their loyalty and fidelity ! 

***** It has fallen to my lot of late, 

to attend several funerals with those unconnected with Friends ; a 
service in which life and power, tongue and utterance, were mercifully 
vouchsafed. May the Lord only have the praise ! 

* * * In dear love to you all, &c, 

John Wilbur. 

from john wilbur to mary davis. 

Hopkinton, 8th mo., 13th, 18-41. 

MY DEAR FRIEXD, MARY DAVIS, 

It is now more than six weeks since I received the injury, and conse- 
quently since I have been abroad to any other house, but my fractured 
limb has succeeded and improved, I believe, quite as well as is common 
for a person of my age ; I am about, both within doors and out, with my 
crutches, but dare not venture to bear enough weight on my weak 
leg to go without them yet. But I have some thought of trying to 
get to meeting next first day. This comparatively light affliction and 
privation has, I trust, not been unprofitable to me. All our trials, 
if patiently endured with perfect submission, contribute to our further 
experience in best things, and to an increased purification of heart, 
preparatory for a greater enjoyment of peace and consolation, as 
well as for the service of our divine Lord and Master among his 
people. For the sons of Levi were to be purified more than any other 
of the Lord's people, in order to be fitted for that sacred calling of 
administering holy things — were to be purged as gold and as silver, 
and to stand on the bottom of Jordan until the people were clean 
passed over, that stones of memorial might be brought up, thereby fur- 
nishing evidence that they were divinely called and qualified for the 
priest's office ; so now his living ministers have to be purified more 
than others, have often to be chosen in the furnace of affliction, and to 
go clown into Jordan, the river of judgment, bringing up from thence 
living stones of memorial ; thus evidencing that they are the Lord's 
own purified and baptized messengers, not only to publish glad tidings, 
and to preach the acceptable year of the Lord, but to wage war in 
righteousness against all that believeth and maketh a lie ; and, in short, 
against all the enemies of God's heritage ; and oh ! what a great want 
there is up and down among those who are called the Lord's people of 
abiding in the furnace of affliction, to the perfect renovation of all their 
mental faculties and perceptions. If this is not in some good degree 
the case, thou knowest, my dear friend, none can see things as they 
are in the visions of light, none can distinguish between the radiance 



LETTEE TO MARY DAVIS. 347 

of the fallen angel, and that of the angels of God, between the precious 
and the vile, between that which serveth God and that which serveth 
him not. How important then in this our day, whilst he who can so 
dissemble as to be a lying spirit in the mouth of the prophets, and 
" prevail " to induce the hosts of Israel to go to Ramoth Gilead, the 
land of slaughter, that we endure the needful purgations ! But may we 
not console ourselves a little, my dear friend, in believing, however for- 
lorn the condition of the Lord's people in this day, that there are more 
true prophets left us and more clear vision than in Micaiah's time, when 
there was but one to four hundred among the prophets who saw things 
clearly in the pure visions of light ? When I was in our Yearly Meet- 
ing where there was probably about four hundred present, the thought 
was introduced to my mind that the proportion was much greater who 
would advise against going to Ramoth Gilead than in Ahab's collection 
of prophets ; yet this little number of true prophets, were they not 
often smitten as Micaiah was, and tauntingly inquired of in substance, 
" Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to thee," and were 
not the horns of iron also seen in the hands of some ? Thomas and 
Elizabeth Robson came here while I was a bed-keeper, even very 
soon after the accident ; and their whole business was to exhort 
and command me to condemn my speaking so freely against J. J. 
Gurney. They came directly from Providence by the way of T. 
Howland's, and seemed to be very highly charged ; telling me that 
if I did not retract I should have no peace of mind ! But I thought I 
had a better knowledge for myself of what would make for peace, than 
they had for me ; for truly I have seldom found more satisfaction in an 
adherence to what I believed to be the intimations of Truth than in a 
consistent refusal to condemn, in any way whatever, the course which I 
have taken in relation to J. J. G. and his doctrines. Since then I have 
received a long letter from T. Howland for the same purpose, containing 
nothing but old, worn-out and absurd arguments, allegations and exhor- 
tations. A recantation from me would no doubt greatly contribute to the 
interest and success of their cause ; hence they seem disposed not to leave 
a stone unturned, or any effort untried by which they might have any 
hope of effecting that object. I apprehend they are sensible that a 
recantation from me would do vastly more for their cause than any disci- 
plinary proceedings which they could adopt, even if they were able to 
excommunicate me from the Society. The greater and more repeated 
their efforts for such a purpose, the more settled I am in the opinion 
that they are determined to adopt the doctrines of Gurney instead of 
those of our forefathers ; and therefore the more unalterable I am in 
the resolution never to make the required recantation come what may. 
And truly, my dear friend, since I have now been confined, I have felt 



348 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

more easy and quiet than ever as to the result of their proceedings 
towards me, feeling well satisfied in committing the whole cause to 
Him who will suffer nothing to befall me, as I trust, but will tend to ray- 
good, the good of his cause, and to his glory in the end ; and I am 
mercifully spared from feeling any anxiety about it ; and so I hope 
will be my friends everywhere in relation to my sufferings and perse- 
cutions. He who rules in the kingdoms of men, will finally order and 
control all things aright, if we simply do that which he calleth for at 
our hands in the opening of his will to us, and patiently wait, and 
quietly hope for his salvation ; and if he appoint unto us greater afflic- 
tions than we have yet experienced if we are favored to keep " the word 
of his patience " he will not leave us nor forsake us in the day of 
trouble, but will succor and sustain us through all that men can do to 
us, and he will preside over and order his own cause, and finally give 
us the victory. My wife and family join me in much dear love to thy- 
self, husband and family, and to all our dear faithful Friends in your 
quarter. Farewell. John Wilbur. 



FROM ANN JONES TO J. W". 

Stockport, 11th mo., 16th, 1841. 

MY DEAR AND MUCH ESTEEMED FRIEND, JOHN WILBUR, 

I have long wished for a little feeling of ability to give thee a writ- 
ten proof of my sisterly sympathy with thee, in and under the pro- 
tracted suffering which has fallen to thy lot, for thy faithfulness in 
supporting the doctrines, the principles, and testimonies given to our 
dear forefathers, and to us as their representatives, to bear to the world. 
Many things have conspired to prevent and to discourage me from put- 
ting my wish in practice ; one of the principal of which is an increased 
and increasing aversion to the employment of letter-writing, from ad- 
vancing age disqualifying me from doing it to my own satisfaction. 

" Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth 
him out of them alV I believe the present is a day in which the lan- 
guage of the apostle is fulfilled in a remarkable manner, in the experi- 
ence of those who have love enough for the great Master to stand up- 
right and faithful unto him. " All that will live godly in Christ Jesus 
shall suffer persecution ; " how far the subsequent part of the sentence 
applies is perhaps not for me to say, but truly those who would follow 
their crucified Lord faithfully, must not only be willing to give up their 
names to reproach, but their backs to the smiter, and their cheeks to 
them that pluck off the hair. I doubt not but thou hast often felt the 
force of the language, " The ploughers ploughed upon my back, they 



LETTER TO THOMAS B. GOULD. 349 

made long their furrows." I well remember how feelingly and forcibly 
this sentence dwelt upon my mind, in the beginning of the contest with 
that evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God, in which 
I was engaged, however unworthily, in your land, — and although the 
spirit that has risen up in opposition to it makes high professions of 
love to him, and faith in his name, I am often ready to fear for those 
who have imbibed it, that they will in the end find themselves in the 
condition of Absalom when he had usurped the authority, stolen the 
hearts of the people from their true and lawful king, and at last was 
caught by that in which he had prided himself. It seems as though 
little could be done here at present, but to endeavor to suffer patiently, 
until the Lord sees meet to make a way for the deliverance of his own 
oppressed seed. There are comparatively few amongst us, who see 
things in the true light, few indeed who are willing to see the weak, 
mixed and muddy state we are in, drinking of the muddy streams of 
Babylon instead of coming to the pure River of the water of life — 
"half Jew, and half Ashdod" — afraid to come to the true touchstone, 
lest their deeds should be reproved, their false rest broken up, their 
false covering rent off; and thus the pure principles and testimonies of 
Truth are too strait, too narrow, for their liberal spirits — poor, vain, 
self-conceited mortals, not able to discern the true liberty, the true en- 
largement of soul which the Truth, the pure Truth, the ever blessed 
and unchangeable Truth gives and leads into — through the strait 
gate and narrow way — the way which leads to the blessed and glorious 
liberty of the children of God. May patience have its perfect work, 
and may the faith once delivered to the saints be steadily maintained 
and boldly contended for, when its blessed author leads into the field — 
the armor kept on in brightness, waiting the word of command to go 
forth, or to stand still, then we have nothing to fear. Farewell in the 
Lord. 

I am as ever, thy affectionately interested friend, 

Ann Jones. 



FROM J. W. TO THOMAS B. GOULD. 

Hopkinton, 15th of 2d mo., 1842. 

MY DEAR THOMAS, 

***** [After narrating the proceedings of the commit- 
tee in the Select Quarterly Meeting at Providence, he says,] I sent an 
address to the Meeting for Sufferings that afternoon, signed only by 
myself, with extracts from the writings of J. J. G. which are deemed to 
be irreconcilable with the doctrines of Friends, desiring them to examine 
these and others of the same description by whomsoever written, and to 
30 



350 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

decide touching their soundness, and lay the result of their labors and 
decisions before the Society in New England ; with the expression of 
a hope, that if rightly done, it would contribute to the safety of the 
Society, as well as to the restoration of peace among us. This address, 
I was informed, was referred for examination to a committee of six 
or seven, but not to report to that sitting, according to the heretofore 
invariable usage of Friends, but to their meeting three months hence ! 

A similar address, I have since learned, was sent from Nantucket, 
signed by fifteen Friends, and probably disposed of in the same man- 
ner. But does not the jeopardy and danger which awaits the Society 
by means of the spread of these baneful doctrines, demand a speedy 
attention to them ? Of sufficient importance, in sounder days, would 
this subject have been deemed, to have detained the Meeting for Suf- 
ferings from day to day, until all the spurious doctrines purporting to 
be the doctrines of Friends, should have received the reprobation which 
they deserved. Isaac Mitchell, [of Nantucket,] has informed me that 
all their ministers, elders, and overseers were called together, when the 
extracts and proposed address to the Meeting for Sufferings were read, 
and united with, and the address was signed by every male present, 
and approbated by every female, and so certified on the back. * * * 
I am well assured of the correctness of these applications, it being the 
very course contemplated by our discipline. * * * * 

I hope some of you will continue to write, but take due care not to 
let anything escape you to me, like flattering the creature ; for certainly 
there is no praise due to man, nor to the sons of men whose breath is in 
their nostrils. Those who are in this sad defection of principle, are re- 
markable for giving and receiving honor one of another, whilst they 
have not that which comes from God only. Quite a different thing from 
the expression of unity and fellowship among brethren, and of that en- 
couragement and commendation which the Truth not only allows, but, 
under circumstances of trial and discouragement, dictates. * * * * 
In love to thyself and the whole family, with all our friends there, I 
conclude, and remain thy friend, 

John Wilbur. 

from j. w. to seth and mary davis. 

Fall River, 15th of 3d mo., 1842. 



MY DEAR FRIENDS, 



I have often thought of you since your Quarterly Meeting in the 
12th month, and in my little measure have sympathized with you, and 
have desired and do desire that the afflictions that have been permitted 
to fall to your lot from the hand of man, may not only be endured for 



LETTER TO SETH AND MARY DAVIS. 351 

the sake of Him who hath called, in the meekness and in the everlast- 
ing patience, but may be even turned into blessings by Him who is 
able by his marvellous power to cause the wrath of man to praise him, 
or that the effects thereof upon the hearts of his dedicated servants 
and handmaidens should contribute to their still greater depth in the 
river of his power that flows from the threshold of the Sanctuary, 
and finally terminates in his glory, which is truly the consummation of 
every desire that breathes in the boundless ocean of his love, of his 
life, and of his power. It does indeed appear that such a day has 
dawned again upon us, as the apostle describes wherein all those who 
would live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution, wherein all 
who would exalt the living above the dead must endure not only the 
reproaches of the world but the reproaches of those who have dipped in 
the same dish with them, — truly hard to endure that such should have 
lifted up their heel against us. Well my dearly beloved friends, He 
who trod the thorny path before us, said to a dignified and faithful ser- 
vant of the primitive age, " My grace is sufficient for thee ; " and if this 
heavenly gift was sufficient to enable those primitive sufferers to endure 
that great fight of afflictions which fell to their lot, will it not prove 
abundantly sufficient in this our day for all those who put their trust in 
him ? I believe it will, be their sufferings and afflictions what they may. 

Although I have not been without many trials since I last had the 
pleasure of enjoying your company at this place, yet bound I am 
under the strongest obligations to the God and Father of all our sure 
mercies, in that he has not forsaken nor left me in the hour of trial, 
and therefore desire in deep gratitude and great humility to give 
thanks to his great and holy Name, and increasingly to dedicate my 
all to him and to his cause, as well as increasingly to watch, to 
abide a faithful sentinel as well by night as by day, that so the grand 
enemy, in whatever form or appearance he may approach me, or the 
house and heritage of my fathers, may be discovered, identified and 
repulsed through the power of him, who never did since the world be- 
gan, forsake nor fail to deliver his trustful, lowly-walking and faithful 
children ; anointing their eyes to see and distinguish the most insidious 
and ensnaring wiles of the great deceiver. But for his oft and adora- 
ble interposition, I may well say I never should have been able to abide 
the trials of my day. ****** 

After all, my dear friends, I desire that our trust may be always, 
and altogether in the arm of God's power and providence, as it relates 
to our deliverance from the hands of the oppressors ; for truly there 
can be nothing short of such interference whereby we have a right to 
expect it. 

In much love to yourselves and family as well as to all faithful 



352 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

Friends, I conclude, and am as ever in the fellowship of the everlasting 
gospel your friend, 

John Wilbur. 



FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY TO J. W. 

Reigate, 24th of 6th mo., 1842. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

Thy last acceptable letter I received about the end of fourth mo., 
and was pleased to find by it that thy health was in great measure 
restored, though of course in some degree still feeling the effects of thy 
indisposition and accident last summer. Every succeeding year of 
our lives, (especially at thy advanced age,) we feel less ability to 
rally after illness of any kind ; but I feel it no small favor that a 
few faithful watchers, are still preserved awhile longer to our poor, 
degenerate church ; and earnestly desire, if consistent with the Divine 
will, it may .be so for some years, though I would not desire the in- 
crease of thy sufferings. Ah ! my dear friend, I could not but notice 
thy remark in allusion to a crisis, if things are pursued to extremities ; 
it must be so, one would think, provided your other Yearly Meetings 
are preserved sound, but here I see no such remedy. I trust many of 
us would be willing to suffer disownment and even death, for the sake 
of the precious cause and testimonies of Truth, if we may but be pre- 
served firm thereto, faithful, humble and watchful to the very end ! Oh ! 
how does all that is alive and sensible within me earnestly desire this, 
though at times greatly bowed down under a sense of our adulterated 
state, so as to long with the mournful prophet formerly for " a lodging 
in the wilderness " that one might go from one's people and weep bit- 
terly for them. 

Oh, how strikingly applicable to us, as a people, are those parts 
of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel which are addressed to backsliding 
Israel formerly ! And is there not danger of the language going 
forth, " Shall I not visit for these things ? Shall not my soul be 
avenged on such a nation as this ? " And yet when the Lord is evi- 
dently calliug us to weeping and mourning and girding with sackcloth 
for the backsliding and adultery amongst us, yea, for the abominations 
committed by the elders of Israel, " behold joy and gladness ; " a boast- 
ing of good times and things amongst us, and a saying like some of old, 
" Is not the Lord among us ? None evil can come upon us ! " And it 
was said to such, " Therefore shall Zion for your sakes be ploughed as a 
field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps." And yet, I am reminded 
whilst writing, of what my dear brother John says in a letter, (see 
page 274 of the selections from his papers, &c.,) " However ive may be 



LETTER FROM ANN CONING. 353 

permitted to be trampled upon and broken to pieces, the blessed Truth 
will outlive it all, and emerge out of the very ruins, if it must come to 
that !"**** Oh, this is encouraging to the poor oppressed 
and grieved ones, even the consideration that the Lamb and his follow- 
ers shall have the victory, the Truth shall prevail and reign over all ! 
Oh ! then, may we " rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him," for 
in due time he will come and will not tarry, and his arising will be the 
scattering of his enemies, and those that hate him shall flee before him, 
however they may have made a boast of him and been leaning falsely 
upon him ! Our Yearly Meeting was indeed a painful time ; it was 
considered by some, the most quiet and harmonious we have had for 
some years ; but a remnant felt that it was like the quietness of death, 
and the harmony of oppression, and, as such, thought it was much more 

painful than when there were more open contests a few years ago. 

*********** 

I want much to know how thou likes the selections from dear John's 
letters, &c. My brother Rawlinson sent thee one early in the year. 
I saw a letter to him, (received lately,) from Thomas Evans of Phila- 
delphia ; it is a poor weak thing ; and he cavils at these selections in 
regard to two letters at page 130, also at another at p. 44, 45, fearing it 
might discourage parents from bringing up their children consistently. 
I fear he is not so wholly come round to ancient views as could be 

I remain thy truly sympathizing and nearly united friend, 

Lydia A. Barclay. 



FROM ANN CONING TO J. W. 

Gisborough, 17th of 8th. mo., 1842. 

MY DEAB FRIEND, 

******* It is a favor in the midst of all trials when we can 
look upon Zion, the city of the saints solemnities, and to know Jerusa- 
lem to be a quiet habitation. O, to abide here how sweet it is ! and 
how safe we are ! even though the blast of the terrible ones be as a 
storm against the wall, or come upon us as an overwhelming flood ; 
yet when we have sought the Lord and his strength, has he not 
at times undertaken for us, and been pleased to realize his gracious 
promise, in lifting up his blessed Spirit, as a standard against them ? 
For he has in every age been a strength to the poor, a strength to the 
needy, in his distress, a refuge from the storm and the tempest. Many 
are the trials and discouragements of the present day in this land, as 
well as in yours ; a small remnant seems left who are not, less or more, 
30* 



354 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

tinctured with Beaconism ; what are called middle men — that thou need 
not be surprised if the ministry be much affected. Those who adhere 
closely to the first principles are not very popular at this day, but 
I am thankful in believing the Almighty has, and still is, laying his 
hand upon one here, and another there, and bringing them to embrace 
the precious principles of our worthy predecessors, in their purity 
and simplicity; particularly amongst the young men, two of whom 
I had an opportunity with at my quarters in London before I left 
the South. They appear to have entered into the Society by Christ 
the door, who has declared himself to be the way, the truth, and the 
life ; hence we may consolingly believe that these and such as these, 
or their children in days to come, may stand and feed the flocks, may 
also help to "build the old waste places, and raise up the foundations 
of many generations." 

Surely in this we may rejoice, that the foundation of God is the 
same that ever it was ; it standeth sure, and those who are building 
upon it, will not be confounded. May we have the eye turned to 
this stronghold, instead of looking too much to the discouragements that 
abound, and thus be weakened and depressed in a way not designed 
by Him whose immutable word and truth will stand, though all men 
forsake it. Still, I believe the Lord calls many of his dear children 
to mourning and lamentation because of the desolations of Zion, yea, 
and gives them to be skilful therein. It was so with our late dear 
Mother in Israel, and valiant in the Truth, Sarah Grubb. Oh, how 
I do miss her at the Yearly Meetings ! We have not another S. G. 
left. I have been comforted since her decease in the reperusal of her 
letters to me. I will here give thee an extract from one of them. " Some 
of us see the necessity of being ranged conspicuously on the side of 
primitive Quakerism, and warning faithfully of the danger of things 
creeping in, that from their nature and tendency must divide, must 
indeed separate, whether there be an outwardly drawing the line of 
division yea or nay. In fulfilling the will of our heavenly Father, we 
must endeavor to leave consequences, and run the risk of being our- 
selves wounded by the arrows of the archers, and perhaps even carry 
the marks of our engagements with us, like scars from head to foot, to 
be seen to the end of our days." She was often wounded in the day of 
battle, yet she turned not her back, " the arms of her hands were made 

strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob." 

*********** 

In the renewed feeling of that love which reaches over sea and land, 
do I salute thee and bid thee farewell in the Lord. 

Ann Coning. 



LETTER FROM ANN JONES. 355 

FROM ANN JONES TO J. W. 

Stockport, 10th mo., 25th, 1842. 



MY DEAR AFFLICTED FRIEND, 



Thou hast been very much the companion of my mind, not only dur- 
ing the months that have passed in the present eventful year, but also 
at other times frequently since it was thy lot to be a sorrowful sojourner 
amongst us, in this highly professing country. Recent accounts re- 
ceived confirm the apprehension of my mind, that thou art not only 
set for the defence of the gospel, but also that thou art set as a mark 
for the arrows of the archers. But " be of good cheer," remember the 
blessing pronounced by thy dear and divine Lord and Master upon 
those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, in the 10th, 11th, and 
12th verses of the fifth chapter of Matthew; and although there may be 
and doubtless are, seasons permitted, when faith and patience are 
closely put to the test, yet He on whom thou believest, and in whose 
cause thou art given up to suffer, will not fail nor forsake thee in the 
time of need; as surely as he was with his faithful Daniel in the 
lion's den, and with the three children in the fiery furnace, so surely 
will he be near to thee. And though thy accusers may seem to tri- 
umph, and to gain the victory for a time, even as theirs did, yet as thy 
sole trust and confidence remain to be in the name of the Lord, he 
will in his own good time arise for the help of his poor afflicted chil- 
dren. 

" The rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous, lest 
he also put forth his hand to do evil." Nay, verily ; I believe that thy 
accusers have the same testimony in their hearts that Daniel's had, — 
" we shall find no occasion against this Daniel except it be concern- 
ing the law of his God." And how marvellously did he work for Daniel's 
deliverance and exaltation before the people. And whether He with 
whom is the power, see meet thus to deliver thee by a high hand and 
outstretched arm or not, he will surely keep thee from the fear of evil, 
as thou continuest to trust in him. He will not give his glory to an- 
other nor his praise to graven images, the work of men's hands. He 
will in his own good time deliver his oppressed seed, will cause Jacob 
to rejoice and Israel to be glad. Then fear not worm Jacob — who art 
thou that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son 
of man that shall be made as grass. He who " hath his way in the 
whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet," 
will overrule all the devices and contrivances of designing men to their 
confusion and the exaltation of his own precious cause, the glory of 
his own glorious, holy, and ever worthy name. 



356 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

George Crosfield has sent me the account of proceedings against 
thee, and I have also received several letters from our dear friends 
in Philadelphia giving a relation of the persecution that is carrying on 
against the faithful in New England. This thou knowest, my dear 
friend, is nothing new, it is the old spirit in a different form and garb ; 
and so far am I from believing that these things will lay waste the 
precious testimonies and standard of Truth, that I believe, however 
some who have seemed to be something may fall away, the eyes and 
spiritual understanding of others will be opened to see further and 
more clearly into the mystery of iniquity that now worketh, and also 
in due time into the mystery of true godliness — the spirituality of the 
gospel dispensation. 

Here it is a time of suffering and oppression ; the ways of Zion 
mourn because so few come to her solemn feasts. The remnant of 
the captivity is in much affliction and reproach, whilst those who are 
seeking and striving to reign as kings over them vaunt themselves 
not a little ; and some who in days past saw the desolation that was 
coming, have deserted the little suffering band, and joined themselves to 
those who have set up a separate altar, and though still having power 
and influence, are but half Jew and half Ashdod. Things are in a 
deplorable way at Bristol ; indeed, in looking over this poor Society 
from one end of the land to the other, it may be truly said to be as in 
a day when a standard-bearer fainteth. 

Dear Sarah Grubb's prophecies are fulfilling in a remarkable man- 
ner, and I doubt not her persevering faithfulness to the end, will afford 
lasting comfort and encouragement to many a little, hidden, suffering 
disciple of the blessed Master. With what clearness, authority, and 
power, did she declare at the close of one of our women's Yearly 
Meetings, " The testimonies and standard of Truth will not be per- 
mitted to fall to the ground, friends ; " and after speaking of great scat- 
tering and desolation that was coming upon the Society, she continued, 
" there will be a little, living, suffering remnant preserved to support 
them, and after they have suffered awhile there will be a flocking to this 
standard, &c." 

I believe the Society will be sifted both in your country and this, but 
the wheat will be preserved — kept safe as in the heavenly garner ; as 
Sarah Grubb said, " not one grain of wheat will be lost," and although 
the faithful ones may be cast out of the synagogue, and their names 
cast out as evil doers, these may take courage in the remembrance of 
their dear Lord suffering for them without the camp. This is a day of 
trouble, of treading down and of perplexity, but there is great en- 
couragement in remembering and in reading the accounts we have of 
the patient endurance of our dear early Friends, their steady faithful 



LETTER FROM GEORGE CROSFIELD. 357 

perseverance in the maintenance of the precious testimonies given to 
them to bear. Then " fear none of those things which thou shalt suf- 
fer," " when one member suffers, all the members suffer with it," thou 
hast the very tender sympathy and precious unity of the true disciples 
and children of thy dear Lord. And should it be permitted, even that 
the Monthly Meeting should be nominally laid down, it is not in the 
power of man to separate one living member from the true church any 
more than it is in the power of finite man to make himself or another 
a living member of the body of Christ. There is great encouragement 
in reading dear Wm. Leddra's sweet letter written just before he was 
executed ; also Isaac Pennington's description of mystery Babylon. 

Doubtless thou art aware of the great stripping we have had in the 
removal of some of the valiant ones who loved not their lives unto the 
death ; my precious husband who was for many years a mark for the 
arrows of the archers being one of those ; — many are the afflictions of 
the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all ; he rests from 
his labors and his works follow him. Oh ! how many times have I been 
instructed and comforted in the revival of this language, " The righteous 
are taken from the evil to come ; " and whilst feeling desolate and afflict- 
ed myself, the sweet evidence graciously afforded, whenever sorrow 
comes over me like a flood, that his pure redeemed spirit rests in the 
arms of everlasting mercy, wipes away the tear, and brings over the 
tribulated spirit the feeling of thanksgiving and praise. ****** 
Many times whilst writing this a saying of dear Daniel Wheeler has 
occurred to me, when on board the " Henry Freeling," lying off the 
Mother Bank, and suffering from the same spirit ; on an expression of 
sympathy from a friend, he said, " The sun can shine in the inquisition ; " 
and thus, dear friend, thou hast found it. 

I am and I trust sincerely in the bonds and afflictions of the gospel 
of Christ thy tribulated friend and sister, 

Ann Jones. 



FROM GEORGE CROSFIELD TO J. W. 

Liverpool, 10 mo., 31st, 1842. 

MY DEAR FKIEND, 

Thy deeply interesting letter of 8th mo., 23d, came to my hands 
safely on the morning of the 15th of 9th month, and it came most op- 
portunely ; it was the day of our Quarterly Meeting, and its arrival 
enabled me to relieve the anxiety of some of thy friends ; and a great 
relief it was to the minds of myself and wife. The evening before, at 
the close of the Select Meeting, Susanna Haworth spoke to me of 
thee, expressive of much regard and sympathy, inquiring if I had 



358 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

lately heard of, or from thee ; on my replying in the negative, she said 
she had heard, and Lydia Xeild had also heard that thy persecutors had 
so far prevailed, that they had succeeded in causing thee to be disunited 
from the Society. This intelligence affected us much — that thy ene- 
mies should thus have succeeded in their unjust treatment of thee ; 
and in their perversion of all right, and all sound discipline. Knowing 
what lengths of injustice had at times taken place, we were the more 
led to fear that this might be true. Judge then, my dear friend, of 
our relief and joy the next morning when thy letter came ; for, al- 
though we deeply feel and deplore the very close trials that have 
befallen thee, yet to know that they had been restrained, and not per- 
mitted to carry out their designs to the extent we had heard, was cause 
of thankfulness to us ; and I took care to let the above-named two 
Friends know before meeting that what they had heard was not true ; 
which was a great relief to them also. 

In the course of that day I submitted the letter to S. Ha worth, and 
to R. and L. Neild, with liberty to extract the report to South Kingston 
Monthly Meeting, but that only. I next sent the letter to H. and E. 
Hunt ; from them it came safely back again, with their thanks to me 
and the expression of much sympathy for thee. I hope they have 
written to thee. Excepting Ann Jones, these are all who have seen 
the whole letter, as we desire to exercise proper discretion with it, yet 
to use when suitable opportunity offers, for removing the erroneous 
reports and impressions which have been spread on this subject. How 
the report above named originated, I know not, unless it was that they 
felt so sure of being able to accomplish their designs against thee, that 
they spread the report in anticipation. But we have deemed it desirable, 
in order to counteract these false reports, to communicate a copy of the 
report to the Monthly Meeting here, and there. My wife sent it to M. J. 
Lecky, with a few remarks. We thought this desirable, as A. A. Jen- 
kins, seemed to have great place with Friends at the Yearly Meeting at 
Dublin, who were apparently much taken with her. To-day I received 
from Croudson Tunstall a letter, in which he says : " I attended our 
Monthly Meeting at Stockport last week, where I heard from Ann 
Jones something more than I previously knew of John Wilbur's trials, 
and much I sympathize with him therein ; at the same time I have no 
doubt but the Master whom he serves, as he adheres strictly to his re- 
quirings, will bring him through the phalanx of opposition with honor." 

Be assured, that thou hast in this land many friends, who unite in 
this feeling of sympathy, who earnestly crave and pray for thy sup- 
port under these trials and persecutions, and are thankful for the peace 
and composure granted thee now, after coming out of such deep exer- 
cises and trials. This feeling in thy own mind, is an evidence of the 



LETTER TO ALICE KNIGHT. 359 

justness of thy cause, and of the immutable truth of those principles 
which thou hast thus upheld against those who would pull down and 
change them, and also of thy feet being established on the immutable 
Rock, where thou wilt witness preservation. Surely, those who have 
thus tried and buffeted thee, will let the past suffice ; they ought to do 
so, and both they and others ought to be convinced, and to acknowledge 
that thy meek and patient suffering demonstrates that it is for Christ's 
sake and the gospel's that thou art enabled so patiently to bear their 
persecutions ; and if they should renew them, it will perhaps tend to 
open the eyes of some to see the tendency of certain doctrines, and of 
the declensions coming in amongst us, which hitherto they have been 
unwilling to see or to acknowledge. Should this be the result, it will 
be a reward to thee here, and if this is not permitted thee, the reward 
is sure hereafter, for it is promised in that everlasting kingdom, where 
all such trials and sufferings are forever excluded. * * * * 

Thy affectionate friend, 

George Crosfield. 



FROM J. W. TO ALICE KNIGHT. 

Hopkinton, 13th of 1st mo., 1843. 
* * * Sometimes, my dear sister, in these 

seasons of deep depression and sore dismay, 1 have been led almost to 
call in question the ground which, from time to time, had, as I appre- 
hended, been assigned me ; and almost sure I am, that, had it been 
made known to me some five years ago, the bonds which awaited such 
a course, my confidence would have failed me entirely. But now, al- 
though it seems that the dangers which still await me, the afflictions, 
the reproaches, and the buffetings, are greater than those permitted 
at the present time to fall upon the head of a single pilgrim beside 
whose lot is cast among this people, the query arises, Shall I go back ? 
And, although I cannot charge myself with murmuring against the 
Lord at any time, yet sometimes I have been chargeable with a lamen- 
tation over my own condition, and have been ready to envy the condi- 
tion of the meanest creature in this lower world, if by the exchange I 
could be liberated from the persecutions of false brethren ! * * * * 
I am not without my fears at times, that ere this campaign shall termi- 
nate, T shall fall a victim by their hands ! Or, like David, in his 
despondency, when he exclaimed, " I shall surely one day fall by the 
hand of Saul ! " Or, may not this time to me be comparable to that 
alluded to by the Saviour : " Unless those days be shortened, no flesh 
should be saved ? " Well, I see nothing better, after all, than to yield 



360 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

myself wholly up into the hands and holy keeping of Him, who hath 
seen meet to lead me in this thorny and dangerous way, and to entreat 
him day and night, for his mercies' sake, to keep me, and in his own 
way and time to deliver me. And wilt thou not, my precious sister, 
intercede for an afflicted brother, and for all the little band of the 
Lord's feeble warriors in New England ? For truly, his people never 
had greater need of strength and wisdom from above, than here and at 
the present time : because the great and the wise, and the rich, and the 
learned of this world, both without and within, are combined, heart and 
hand, to destroy the best of the Lord's testimonies, and to corrupt his 
inheritance with the mere work of men's hands and vain imaginations- 
In the enemy's attempts to destroy Quakerism in 1827, his army was 
nothing like so strong and formidable as at the present time ; for now, 
the whole body of professors, save a little remnant of our Society, are 
joined in concert against the doctrines of a religion immediately re- 
vealed to the mind and understanding of man. 

According to my observation, by comparing the state of things among 
professors in my early days, with that which now exists, it is abundant- 
ly evident, notwithstanding the moral reform, that as it respects true re- 
ligion, there has been a steady retrograde motion ; a thing which I 
believe no Society of professing Christians has escaped. As the life 
and power have diminished, the substitute of forms and men's inven- 
tions has been introduced ; and also a corruption of principles of a 
fundamental nature has ensued. And now, to arrest this retrograde 
motion, increasing, as it appears to do in speed, is a work of no small 
importance — is a work which, it looks to me, no ordinary means will 
accomplish, even in our own Society ; and if not accomplished in our 
Society, the prospect of an improvement in others looks very unpromis- 
ing. I have no doubt that the future condition of other religious Soci- 
eties depends, in a considerable degree, upon that of our own. Had 
not our principles and testimonies been raised up in the world, as a city 
set upon a hill, we might well ask, what would have been the state 
of professing Christians at this day ? the tendency to turn from the 
power to the form, and from the life of Christianity to the mere image 
of it, is so great in the human heart ! Hence, seeing so much rests 
upon us, (or upon a people raised up to take our place,) how strong the 
cause of incitement to faithfulness, to stem the outgoing tide of infidel- 
ity, however arduous the conflict, and however many the great ships 
we see, drifting upon it, and borne away with it ! This degenerat- 
ing spirit had become very popular in England, when I was there, 
and has since become greatly increased, and clothed with power ; and 
great numbers of apparently honest Friends have since that time fallen 
down to its image ; and many, if not the most, of those that have not, 



LETTER FROM EZRA COMFORT. 361 

are afraid to stand forth and oppose the heresy. Even some of those 
who venture to plead for the old ways boldly, are nevertheless afraid 
to come out openly against those sentiments which are most insidiously 
and rapidly undermining the fundamental principles of Quakerism. 
Oh, that they had a George Fox and an Edward Burrough there, who 
were not afraid of consequences, but bore testimony everywhere against 
all unsound doctrines, as well as for those which were of the Truth ; 
nor could the powers of this world deter them from it. And with what 
success did they and their friends press forward through all opposition, 
because they accounted not their own lives dear in comparison with the 
joys set before them, even the joy of turning men from % darkness to 
light, and from the power of Satan unto God. 

* * * * Now my dear friend, in conclusion I will say, that 
although I have thus written, and truly written, in the forepart of this 
letter, of trying and mournful seasons, in which my faith has been put 
to the test, yet, in justice to the name of everlasting kindness and 
mercy, I feel bound to acknowledge, that many seasons of the sweet 
and precious enjoyment of heavenly goodness are vouchsafed me, in 
which my cup has overflowed with peace and love, and praises have 
ascended unto Him, who lives forever and ever ; notwithstanding, at 
other times, I apprehend that I feel as Jeremiah did, when he wrote 
his Lamentations. 

* Thine, affectionately, 

John Wilbur. 



FROM EZRA COMFORT TO J. W". 

Whitemarsh, 2d mo., 17th, 1843. 

DEARLY BELOVED FRIEND, 

I trust I can thus address thee in the fellowship of that gospel 
which is the bond of everlasting peace — in that nearness and unity 
which I felt with thy spirit when thou came into my room in Phila- 
delphia, the remembrance of which has often been precious to me, al- 
though I was a stranger, as to the outward, yet not so within. My mind 
has often been drawn into near and tender sympathetic feeling with, and 
for thee, and under that feeling I am induced to take my pen in hand, 
though I seldom do so, to endeavor to encourage and strengthen thee 
to keep hold of thy shield of faith, and not cast it away as though it 
had not been anointed ; for it has been anointed, thou knowest, and has 
kept thee through many tribulations, both by sea and land, as well as 
amongst false brethren, unto this day ; and I pray the Father of all our 
sure mercies, that we may be favored to keep it in the patience unto the 
end. It is a day of peculiar trial, both of faith and patience, to all the 
31 



362 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

Lord's children ; and I feel it very especially so to thee, my dear friend, 
and I think I can enter deeply into feeling with thee ; for I have been 
favored to see, feel and know that foul, dark, deceptive, out-going spirit, 
in the time of the spreading of infidelity ; and I do now see the very 
same spirit, under a different covering ; but it is the same out-going 
deceptive spirit, which is actuating those who have gone out from the 
Truth, and they know it not ; and it has happened so to them for 
want of keeping humble and on the watch ; and these will go on 
worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived, until it is openly mani- 
fest by what spirit they are actuated, for they are not, nor will be 
able to set bounds to themselves, saying " Thus far will we go and no 
farther." 

Oh, dear friend, it is with me to say to thee, keep in thy habitation, 
which is in the munition of rocks, and the storms will not hurt thee, 
nor prevent thee from promoting the honor of Him whom thou servest, 
or from spreading his cause of truth and righteousness in the earth. 
Although the enemy's design is to destroy the Lord's heritage, yet the 
Lord will turn the enemy's designs into a blessing to his heritage ; 
thus he showed me when the enemy seemed so to prevail, as if he 
would cut me off from my inheritance amongst the Lord's people. 
Oh then, very deep was my distress, but the ways of our Heavenly 
Father are as a great deep, for he showed me at that season that he 
would make of me an instrument in his own hand and his own way, 
to promote his cause, to his own honor, even to the saving of some 
poor souls. My heart was then greatly tendered before him, and I 
said in my heart, " It is enough. Let my sufferings be what they 
may, thy will be done." 

And now, my dear brother, before I took my pen in hand I thought 
I felt this testimony, and I believed it was from the Lord : " Fear not, 
my dear servant, I have permitted this suffering to come upon thee 
for my righteous cause and my testimony's sake ; I will be with thee, 
and though thou pass through the waters, they shall not overflow thee ; 
though thou walk through the fire, it shall not burn thee, and through 
the flames, they shall not kindle upon thee, and I will make of thee 
yet further an instrument in my hand, to my honor and to my glory, 
in a way thou hast not yet seen, and it shall add to thy rejoicing while 
yet here, and to thy eternal joy hereafter." 

I have no doubt there are many amongst you as well as amongst us 
who would, if they were to see the language I have used in describing 
that deceitful spirit, which is endeavoring to divide us asunder, call it 
harsh ; but the time has come when it is right for every one to speak 
the plain truth to his neighbor, of what he is favored to see of the 
workings of this dark, deceptive spirit. Oh, how I feel for the dear 



LETTER FROM EZRA COMFORT. 363 

youth, with you and us, so soon after that awful storm which must have 
appeared to them to have rent the very pillars of the Lord's house 
asunder ! And for the few who remain to see another arise so soon 
after the first is past, and those who stood as a firm unshaken wall 
before, now rent asunder — Oh, I have thought it must be almost 
enough to cause them to question there being any true foundation. 
I feel willing to show thee a little of the actions of one from your parts, 
accounted a gospel minister by some. I took an opportunity with her, 
to inquire the cause of their dealing with thee ; she seemed loth to say 
anything on the subject, but as I earnestly pressed it, for I did want to 
know their statement of the case, as she was from the neighborhood, 
she finally said thou would not take the advice of thy friends. I told 
her it was possible thou wast brought into the situation I once was 
when I could not conscientiously take the advice of those that I once be- 
lieved were my friends ; and if I had been correctly informed, it was the 
case with thee, that bearing thy testimony against the unsound views 
of J. J. Gurney, was the whole ground of uneasiness ; if so, it was a 
serious thing for them to try to withhold thee from obeying the Divine 
command, of sounding the alarm at the approach of the enemy ; 
and that I did believe the unsound doctrines published by that man 
were as fatal in their consequences as the infidelity published by Elias 
Hicks, which had made such a grievous rent in the Society. She 
replied that she considered it as bad, or worse. This gave me an 
opportunity of opening my views on the present state of things amongst 
us, in the presence of divers young Friends, to some relief of my mind. 
I also told them I felt it my religious duty thus to bear a faithful testi- 
mony against these things, — that I had done it when opportunity pre- 
sented, and would do it, while I felt as I did, let the consequences, of 
what men can do, be what they may. 

But oh, my dear friend, what are our feelings, when we see such 
who make profession of being ministers, and travelling for the help of 
others, act with so much — I know not what to call it but devilish deceit 
— as to make the profession she did to me, and then to see her own 
signature to such a document of charge as that brought against thee ! 
But such were the inconsistencies of those who went out into infidelity, 
and such is and will be the effect of all outgoing spirits ; but be of 
good cheer, dear friend, thou wilt be comforted when they are tor- 
mented. I would rather be in thy situation and live on bread and 
water than to be united with them and possess all they all enjoy, both 
within and without, for they will have torment upon torment. Oh, 
wretched state ! Envy is happy only when she herself torments, but 
the righteous possess their souls in patience, and rest in the day of 
trouble, and in proportion as they are permitted to be afflicted, will 



364 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

they be favored to joy and rejoice in the God of their salvation; blessed 
be his holy name for evermore ! 

From thy friend and fellow-sufferer for the Truth's sake, 

Ezra Comfort. 



FROM L. A. BARCLAY TO J. W. 

Reigate, Surrey, England, 25th of 2d mo., 1S43. 
:my dear a>t> tribtxated friend, 

What can I say that will comfort thee, or that will express the 
deep sympathy that tenders my spirit towards thee ! But the Lord's 
power is over all ! He has mightily and most mercifully been with 
thee in all thy afflictions, sustained and comforted thee with the lifting 
up of the light of his blessed countenance, and put a joy and peace into 
thy heart, with which no stranger can intermeddle. And so I trust 
he will still continue to do, and preserve thee (even to the very end) from 
being moved from that steadfastness unto him and humility before him, 
which he hath clothed thee with, for the help and example of others, 
and for the glory of his own great Name. In looking at the poor little 
afflicted remnant, both with you and with us, how does all that is capa- 
ble of feeling within me, most earnestly desire (yea, painfully travail) 
that we may be preserved, " in Him that is true," and then, in all our 
afflictions, he will be afflicted, and the angel of his presence will be 
with us, sustain and comfort us, and in due time save us out of all, 
bringing us forth as gold seven times tried. Oh, how great is my fear 
on my own account, (and other such weaklings,) lest self should get up, 
even under these trials, and work as in a mystery, and so the enemy 
should get an advantage, and the spirit become defiled, and the Holy 
Name be reproached. Oh, when favored with breathings heavenward, 
think of us for good, my dear and valued friend, and crave that we may 
be kept in self-abasement and holy fear, whilst enabled, in faith, faith- 
fulness, and patience, to stand firm for the pure testimony of Truth, and 
to be afflicted and mourn for the defection therefrom. 

Thy account, in thy last kind letter of 27th 12 mo., of the transac- 
tions of that overbearing committee of your Yearly Meeting, and of 
your appeal against the hasty judgment of the Quarterly Meeting, was 
truly satisfactory, and it was a comfort to hear how you had been sup- 
ported, and enabled to conduct in wisdom, and meekness, and firmness ; 
and so was the account mentioned in thy letter to G. and M. Crosfield, 
of which I saw a copy from dear Ann Jones, inasmuch as it bore testi- 
mony to the Divine goodness and power which had so marvellously 
helped and preserved thee, my dearly beloved ancient brother, in such 



LETTER FROM ANN JONES. 365 

a season of extremity. And truly, I may say, the hearts of some (to 
whom I have communicated what I could of these things, in the confi- 
dence of near unity) have, with mine, overflowed with gratitude and 
humble praise to Him, the mighty strengthener, the blessed comforter 
of his tribulated people, and our faith and hope in him has hereby been 
afresh strengthened and confirmed, and our breathings have been for 
thy help and preservation still, even as the prayers for Peter formerly, 
in prison. Ah ! I do trust the root and bottom of all things will in due 
time be manifested, and the Truth arise, even over all ! And what 
though Ave be reduced to a " very small remnant," yet if thoroughly 
purged and entirely knit together in Him, the Life, we may yet be 

strong as an army with the banners of Truth ! 

* * * * ****** 

Thy affectionate friend, 

Ltdia A. Barclay. 



FROM ANN JONES TO J. W. 

Stockport, 1st of 4th month, 1843. 

MY DEAR FRIEND AND BROTHER IN THE BONDS AND TRIBULATIONS OF THE GOSPEL 
OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD — 

Although men may separate thee from their company, may reject 
and deny thee the privileges of a minister and member in our once 
highly favored Society, yet they can no more separate thee from the 
living body, whereof Jesus Christ is the true and holy head, than the 
persecutors of our dear faithful Friends in the beginning could separate 
them from Him, the true and living Vine, whence they derived their sap 
and nourishment, their unity and strength, to stand against all the wiles 
and stratagems, and cunning, subtle snares of Satan and his agents. 
Then be not fainthearted, neither fear, but lift up thy head in hope ; 
believing that thy deliverance from all the power of the enemy draw- 
eth near, whether thy natural eyes may see Jacob and Israel rejoice 
and be glad because that the Lord most high hath redeemed and 
delivered them, yea or nay. 

Thy truly acceptable letter, dated 20th of 12th mo., was mine on the 
16th of 1st, plaintive and true, as the lamentation over Israel is ; yet I 
could but rejoice and give thanks in finding how sweetly thy mind has 
been sustained, by an invisible hand, through much crimination and 
oppression. Well, the power of thy accusers and oppressors is limited ; 
and whilst I doubt not thou hast many times had cause to be and hast 
been comforted in considering Him who endured the contradiction of 
sinners against himself, and hast thereby been kept from growing 
weary of suffering or fainting in thy mind; I can and do earnestly 
31* 



366 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

desire for thee that thy faith may be renewed and strengthened from 
time to time, not only to commit thy cause unto him, and to trust in his 
holy name, but also to remember that the cause is His with whom is the 
power to bring good out of that which seemeth at the time, to finite, 
short-sighted mortals, to be what may be termed evil, as " the blood of 
the martyrs is the seed of the church," and the shedding of the precious 
blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot, was 
the purchase of our redemption. When the poor disciples were dis- 
mayed at what had happened, and said, even to himself, " we trusted 
that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel," ah, then how 
little did they think that they were speaking to their crucified and 
risen Lord ! 

And thus it is in our day ; we know but in part, we see but as it 
were through a glass, darkly or dimly ; but then, says the apostle, 
" shall I know even as also I am known." 

After I received thine, I heard nothing from America for a consider- 
able time, and was ready to conclude that the committees had thought 
better of it, and in consequence of the proposed appeals had dropped 
the matter of disownment, at least for a time ; but on the 15th ult- 
I received a truly acceptable and sympathizing letter from dear 
Thomas Evans, informing that thou art actually disowned. T. E. writes 
very feelingly and sorrowfully respecting this procedure, and says: 
" It is deeply to be lamented that matters have been pushed so far, 
and such a determination evinced to carry points, and to infringe on 
the constitutional rights of members. What it will all end in, is hard to 
say ; on every hand the clouds thicken and a deep gloom seems to be 
spreading over our Society." ****** ]\Xy mind is much 
with thee and thy dear family, and the faithful Friends of South Kings- 
ton Monthly Meeting, believing you will be supported and carried 
safely through all to the praise of His name, the glory of his power, 
who has called and strengthened you to stand and to suffer for his 
name and Truth and testimony's sake. 

In much love and tender sympathy for thee and thy wife and children, 
I am thy friend in the bonds of the gospel, 

Ann Jones. 

from thomas b. gould to j. w. 

Newport, 4th mo., 16th, 1S43. 

MY VERY DEAR FRIEND, 

Alexander Parker, an ancient worthy, in writing to Margaret Fell, 
thus addresses her : " Though for some time I have been silent in this 
manner of speaking to thee, yet is not my love in any measure dimin- 



LETTER FROM THOMAS B. GOULD. 367 

ished, but rather augmented ; and I often remember thee in thy suffer- 
ings, and thou (with all the faithful in Christ) art dear and near unto 
me ; " — which, as it seemed to convey what I wished to say to thee, in 
better language than I can usually command, I thought fit to copy. He 
adds : " I hope thou art, as formerly, sensible of the integrity and inno- 
cent true simplicity of my heart, both towards God and all his people, 
for Truth is my delight, and in the work and service of God I labor ; 
it is my meat and drink to do the will of God, and therein I am fully 
resolved to continue even to the end." 

Now although I do not by any means feel qualified to adopt language 
as strong as he used in the latter part of this sentence, yet I can re- 
spond both to the hope and the resolution which he expresses ; inas- 
much as that which in my very young and tender years was revealed as 
the Truth, continues to be my delight ; whenever I can see it in any 
measure prosper, therein I can rejoice, and on the contrary, (which is 
by far the most common in this our day, as thou very well knowest,) I 
often sensibly feel that it is still, through unmerited mercy, my privi- 
lege to suffer with it and, as I trust, for it, in some small degree— of 
which, however small, I often feel myself unworthy. 

* * * * * j t seemec i truly remarkable, that she [Catharine 
Sheppard] should have been led to think and speak of thee at such a 
time. I have thought of it with interest in connection with poor dear 
P. P's dying benediction. Surely there must be consolation ministered, 
by these things, to thy oft-times, no doubt, almost desponding mind. 
Are not these " morsels " better and more to be desired, coming as they 
do from the Lord's people, than all the favors of his enemies ? Yet I 
can but lament the great weakness, among many of those who, I doubt 
not, are very sincere in their love to him and regard for thee, which 
induces them to " break their bread in secret." Although Solomon, I 
believe, did say such bread was pleasant, yet it would be more agree- 
able, I think, to the word of Truth, the substance of faith and the 
nature and character of our holy profession, if there was less of secrecy 
" for fear of the Jews." I am thinking more particularly of some of our 
Philadelphia Friends — of whom in this respect I think we have consider- 
able to bear ; and they that are strong, I suppose, can bear it ; but for 
others, I fear lest their faith, patience and constancy should fail. 

***** ^ n( j although it may be best for us generally to 
pay due attention to their advice from Philadelphia, yet I have little 
expectation that it will make much more difference, in the end, than this, 
namely, putting it out of their power to say we rejected it. As for our 
being officially acknowledged by that Yearly Meeting in its present state, 
except in connection with the Gurneyites here, or in the event of their, 
being " put down," as they say, I have no expectation of it at present. 



368 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

There is too much of the same spirit which rules here, at work among 
them, either secretly or openly, to admit of it ; and I fear some of the 
best among them hear and take counsel for us, of that spirit working in 
the great ones, and the high ones, and the experienced ones, in a mystery, 
being themselves quite ignorant of it. Oh ! for more inwardness and 
retiredness of spirit to the " Wonderful Counsellor," that we might be 
truly guided in judgment ; and then, although Abraham might be igno- 
rant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not, yet we could say, " Doubt- 
less thou, God ! art our Father," &c. 

***** j mus t conclude, with dear love to thy wife, for 
whom I very often feel more sympathy than I can express in words, 
of which I believe she has been at times in some measure sensible ; 
and to whom I am under very many and great obligations, which I 
cannot forget. Farewell. 

T. B. Gould. 



FROM J. W. TO THOMAS B. GOULD. 

Hopkinton, 4th mo., 26th, 1843. 

MY DEAK THOMAS, 

Thine of the 16th was received on the 19th, and none the less wel- 
come on account of the company it kept, to wit, with one of a similar 
cast from dear Ann Jones ; and although they had not travelled long 
together, they seemed to be of one heart and one mind ; and I was 
made glad, amid the gloom of persecution, in recognizing the sweet 
salutations which are breathed forth in them. And for thy information 
I will say, that the volume containing those excellent letters from which 
thou extracted those instructive lines from one to another of our faith- 
ful predecessors in the blessed Truth, was sent to me many months ago 
by my endeared friend Lydia A. Barclay. Oh ! how animating, to 
read those living salutations, and how they tend to awaken, and to 
quicken, and make alive renewedly the immortal birth in whomsoever 
it has been begotten, and cause it to leap for joy, and to strengthen, and 
produce an increase and enlargement in the inward life and power, 
when read at those seasons wherein the more immediate beam of the 
Sun of Kighteousness is revealed in us, tending to glory, honor, im- 
mortality and eternal life ! 

Letters have been recently received from England, from , , 

, &c, but none so truly apostolic and full of life, as Ann Jones's ; 



but one from dear Ezra Comfort, some little time ago, is truly of the 
first cast, in which, like that of A. J., there is no compromise with evil, 
nor shadow of turning. Oh ! for such fearless warriors as these, who 
will not turn their backs in the day of battle, nor give any ground to the 



LETTER FROM EZRA COMFORT. 369 

enemy, because they know that their Leader is invincible, and goeth 
before them, and covereth their heads ; and because they know too, in 
some degree, the worth of God's testimonies to his people, and the 
sacrilege of abandoning them. 

***** ^v notices of the unity and fellowship of several 
dear friends, are comfortable and encouraging, as well as those above 
named ; but, Oh ! my dear Thomas and Martha, if it were not for the 
inward sustaining and approval of a blessed Redeemer, at times and 
seasons vouchsafed, all that even you or any other dear fellow-travellers 
could offer, would be of little avail, in allaying the troubled waters, 
which seem ready, sometimes, to overwhelm my tribulated spirit. 

***** 3 e assurec i that I remain thy truly sympathizing 
friend in all the trials which await the exercise of the Lord's gift 
among a stiff-necked and rebellious people. Farewell. 

John Wilbur. 



FROM EZRA COMFORT TO J. W. 

Whitemarsh, 7th mo., 23d, 1843. 



DEAR FRIEND, 



' My mind is much with thee and thy dear suffering friends in New 
England, greatly desiring your steadfast abiding in the ever-blessed 
Truth, let others do as they may. There is a place of rest, even in the 
day of trouble, a refuge from the heat and the storm. Jerusalem re- 
mains to be a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken 
down — not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, nor one of 
the cords thereof broken, for there the glorious Lord remains to us a 
place of broad rivers and streams — yea, those streams "which make 
glad the whole city and heritage of God. «. Thou knowest, dear friend, 
that no gallant ships float there, — no galley with oars passeth thereby, 
— no none of the cunning artifice, or merchandise of men is found there. 
But oh, I have seen, in that light that doth not deceive, that there are 
many amongst you, in your land, who are making a high profession, 
even to be of the very city of God, and boast much of the streams 
thereof, who are trafficking in almost all kinds of merchandise of men, 
yea, even with the very souls of men, and are floating on the muddy 
waters of Babylon, and drinking of its streams, and are in sore captivity, 
and I am afraid some of them know it not. Oh, the mystery of in- 
iquity — in the transforming of the serpent even into an angel of light, 
in order, if possible, to deceive the very elect ! May we, dear friend 
and Friends everywhere, for whose welfare in this day of proving my 
soul travails day and night, be kept continually on our watch, in the 



370 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

light of the Lord, that we may be preserved on that sure foundation, 
against which the gates of hell never have, and never will be able to 
prevail. It is cause of deep thankfulness that we are favored to see the 
snares of the enemy, and be preserved. Oh. it is a great favor that we 
are permitted to suffer with the suffering seed. Dear friend, and friends. 
who feel and act with thee, think not the time of your sufferings long ! 
The Lord hath a purpose in permitting it to be, that it shall redound to 
his own glory, and to your everlasting peace ; and, dear John, I believe 
there are children yet unborn who will call thee blessed, because of thy 
faithfulness in earnestly contending for the faith once delivered to the 
saints. I have often thought of Francis Howgill's travail of soul, since 
being with you, and I believe his testimony that he delivered in the name 
of the Lord, will be fulfilled concerning you, — ;i The sun shall lose its 
shining brightness, and cease to give light to the world; the moon shall 
be altogether darkness and give no light unto the night ; the stars shall 
cease to know their office ; my covenant with day and night, times and 
seasons, shall sooner come to an end. than the covenant I have made 
with this people, into which they have entered with me, shall end or 
be broken. Yea, though the powers of darkness and hell combine 
against them, and the jaws of death open for them, yet I will deliver 
them, and lead them through all. I will confound their enemies as I 
did in Jacob, and scatter them as I did in Israel, in the days of old. I 
will take their enemies ; I will hurl them hither and thither, as stones 
are hurled in a sling : and the memorial of this nation, which is holy 
unto me. shall never be rooted out. but shall live through ages, as a 
cloud of witnesses in generations to come. I have brought them to the 
birth, yea, I have brought them forth : I have swaddled them, and they 
are mine. I will nourish them and carry them as on eagles' wings ; 
and though clouds gather against them, I will make a way through 
them : though darkness gather together as an heap, and tempests gender, 
I will scatter them as with an east wind : and nations shall know they 
are my inheritance, and they shall know that I am the living God. who 
will plead their cause with aU that rise up in opposition against them.'' 
This servant of the Lord, who was then in prison, testified that his 
heart was filled with joy. although a prisoner until death, even as when 
the ark of God was brought from the house of Obed-Edom. when 
David danced before it, and Israel shouted for joy. May this be thy, 
and your blessed experience ! I have often thought of latter time, of 
the testimony of these worthy sons of the morning, that of all the griev- 
ous sufferings they met with, the greatest were occasioned by false 
brethren : but I think there is no cause for discouragement. We see, 
and it will be made more and more manifest, that those who are now 
lording it over God's heritage, are unsound, and have departed froin 



LETTER FORM EZRA COMFORT. 371 

the faith and principles of the Society ; and are not transacting the 
affairs thereof agreeably to the order established by the Head of the 
church, for which purpose, our different meetings were especially in- 
stituted. Friends were all to wait upon the Lord, in order to receive 
a renewed divine qualification to transact its business, for it is the 
Lord's work, and cannot be performed aright without such qualifica- 
tion, any more than a minister can preach the gospel without it. But 
it is now done out of meeting, and all the concerns that ought to 
come before these bodies, are now arranged by committees appointed 
for the purpose, who deliberate in private councils, and there contrive, 
plan and do the business, in the strength and wisdom of the crea- 
ture, thereby depriving the rest of the members of their right to par- 
ticipate in the concerns that deeply interest them ; and they also 
undertake to judge all such of their brethren, and condemn them as not 
being fit to meddle with the affairs of the church, who in any way dis- 
sent from what they do in these private councils. They also disregard 
the discipline, established by divine Wisdom ; thus they are separat- 
ing themselves from other bodies of Friends who are favored to dwell 
together in unity, and who are laboring harmoniously together for 
Truth's honor. May you, dear friends, keep in your habitations, stand- 
ing steadfast in your allotments. I believe, in time [your oppressors] 
will be so controlled by divine Providence as to open a way themselves 
for your release. And dear John, don't be discouraged from prosecut- 
ing thy appeal ; however trying it may be. Thou may, in this way, be 
instrumental in opening the eyes of some innocent Friends who are in 
danger of being ensnared by that deceptive spirit and led astray. I 
feel deeply for these. ******* 

Tell my and thy dear friends as far as thou mayest have opportunity, 
that my love remains toward them and thyself in that fellowship that 
changeth not; and tell our dear young Friends I was comforted when 
with you, in believing that they will be prepared, through suffering, and 
favored yet to bring the ark of the Lord's testimony on their shoulders 
rejoicing, to its place in Jerusalem. It is now on a cart, and the oxen 
are shaking it, and the Uzzahs are laying hold of it, in an unsanctified 
manner, but the Lord will make a breach amongst them in his own 
time, — they never will be permitted to bring the ark to its place which 
God has appointed for it, by the course they are pursuing. 

Farewell, my dear friend in the Lord. I remain thine. 

Ezra Comfort. 



372 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 



FROM ALICE KNIGHT TO J. W. 

Frankford, 12th mo., 7th, 1843. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

Thy truly welcome letter of 11th mo., 29th, came to hand soon after 
date. I had been thinking much about my afflicted friends in New- 
England and my spirit had been closely dwelling with thee in tribula- 
tion ; it was not unexpected to me to hear that thy appeal is resting as 
it is, and although it may sometimes be a trial of faith and patience, and 
desires may arise to know the event, yet the language does continue 
sealed on my mind, " The Lord will work, and who shall let." And, 
let this matter be decided as it may, my faith is that a benefit will arise 
to our poor Society from thy honest integrity in the way of Truth, not 
flinching from thy post to gain favor from man, even though the cruel 
enemy has greatly sought thy downfall in this way. And if thou 
shouldst never see the day when thy rights in religious society shall be 
restored to thee, thy patient endurance in suffering will not be lost ; 
but children shall rise up and call thee blessed, saying " he hath done 
what he could." According to my observation, a mark of distinction 
is becoming more and more set upon those that are endeavoring to 
gain proselytes in the wisdom of man, and it is becoming more and 
more manifest who are serving the Lord and who serveth him not ; but 
there is a struggle between Christ and antichrist, for the church's sake, 
and the Lord most high who maketh war in righteousness, will surely 
continue to gather to himself a people that can sing his praise. I feel 
the present to be a day of close trial and deep proving to the living 
children everywhere ; and I believe our poor Society will have much 
to suffer yet, before the dross, and the tin, and the reprobate silver is 
consumed by the fire of God's word. 

Things in Baltimore look very discouraging. It seemed to me, if 
there was a shred there of the spirit of true discernment, that was able 
to try words fitly spoken, as the mouth trieth meat, it was amongst some 
of the little, humble, silent ones, that would tremble at hearing their 
own voices ; and oh ! that there were more of this number, for I fear it 
is very small. The Yearly Meeting was the greatest time of outpouring 
of words that I ever witnessed, I think, and the people seemed to feed 
upon it, but when anything was said, striking at the root of their false 
rest, and sounding the word of alarm, they were ready to judge it down, 
and out of meeting made great effort to make it appear that their state 
was a very good one. So thou may est judge a little of the trial we under- 
went ; yet I believe it was ail in the ordering of best wisdom, and if our 
lot was cast there for little more than a ballast, I believe the end was 
answered ; for we felt that we were a thorn in their sides. Our dear 



LETTER FROM CORDELIA BAYES. 373 

friend David Cope did not, I believe, open his mouth in meeting, 
except once to discipline, but with ourselves, could say he felt the 
reward of peace for having been made willing to suffer for the name 
of Jesus. Thy countryman, L. M. Hoag was, a lodger in the house 
with us, and was very much caressed. A woman who was not a 
member, but an attender of Friends' meeting at Germantown, told one 
of the elders directly after meeting, she supposed Friends did not know 
what kind of a preacher he was when they appointed him the meet- 

iiiQ- ^fc vfc ^ * *R 

As far as I know, Friends generally speak well of our "Ancient 
Testimony " — some I fear are endeavoring to cloak themselves with it. 
But I believe the day is coming when the unrighteous work of man's 
invention will be tried, and the day will declare it of what sort it is ; 
and sometimes when the enemy is suffered to come in like a flood and 
my spirit is almost overwhelmed in suffering, I am cheered in the re- 
membrance that there is laid in Zion a chief Corner-Stone, a sure 
foundation, and help is laid upon One that is mighty to save, and able 
to deliver, even to the uttermost, all those that trust in him. And do 
we not my dear friend, sometimes realize that " He will keep him in 
perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on him, because he trusteth in 
him ? " In conclusion, although I feel myself but a child, I can greet 
thee and thy dear wife, in the language of encouragement, to stand fast 
in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free. * * * 

I conclude, thy near sympathizer and, I trust, fellow-sufferer in tribu- 
lation, for the body's sake, which is the church, 

Alice Knight. 



FROM CORDELIA BAYES TO J. W. 

Tottenham, 11th mo., 17th, 1843. 

MY BELOVED FRIEND, 

Although I have not felt ability hitherto, nor at this time, to clothe 
my feelings in words, and so to salute thee in that love which springs 
from, centres in, and returns to that pure spring from whence all good 
proceeds, yet thou wast brought to my remembrance so sweetly yester- 
day morning, whilst sitting with my friends assembled in meeting, and a 
language, applicable, as I then believed, to thee, in thy present suffering 
and deeply proving state, was presented so livingly that I feel I cannot 
do otherwise than just revive the words in thy tribulated mind, even 
should they be offered for thy acceptance without note or comment : — 
" Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and 
say all maimer of evil against you, falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and 
be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven ; for so perse- 
32 



374 JOUENAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

cuted they the prophets which were before you." I remembered that 
at (I think) the last Yearly Meeting of London, at which dear S. 
Grubb was present, I was sitting with her in her own lodging, and she 
was, in much freedom, opening to me some of her sore conflicts which 
befell her in that great city, (to which I was then looking to remove as 
my habitation,) acquainting me with the opposition she encountered in 
the discharge of her duty to her Master, and of the manner in which 
she was spoken of; we sat awhile in silence, when the words, " If 
they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more 
will they call them of his household" came so to me, that I ventured 
to express them, on which the dear, faithful woman looked up at me 
with a brightened countenance, and in much simplicity, said, " I never 
thought of that ! " Thus, dear friend, I have thought that, as a child 
is sometimes employed to hand a cup of cold water to a father or a 
mother, for their refreshment, and be comforted in finding that it has 
proved so, I might hand this to thee, whom I may truly say, did seem 
as a father in the church of Christ, when thou wast sent amongst us ; 
more especially as thy parting words to me were like the meat which 
sustained one formerly for many days. And now, my endeared friend, 
farewell ! May the Lord's Truth ever be thy shield and buckler, is 
the prayer of one who remains thy affectionate friend, in every trial. 

Cordelia Bayes. 



FROM J. W. TO EZRA COMFORT. 

Hopkinton, the 21st of 11th mo., 1843. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

Thy letter, although it has thus long remained unanswered, was 
truly grateful and strengthening ; the fellow-feeling and near sympathy 
of absent brethren, communicated in times of trouble and great depres- 
sion, is indeed as a healing balm, and tends to console the drooping 
mind, and to sweeten, for a season, the bitter cup ; and especially when 
coming from one who has drunk deeply of the same cup of sore afflic- 
tion, and has witnessed those indescribable sensations inflicted by the 
cruel hands of false brethren ; a true sense whereof I am persuaded 
that neither pen nor tongue can convey to those who have not them- 
selves drunk of the gall and the wormwood ; of which even the Saviour 
of the world himself received at the hand of man. No ; but thou, my 
dear friend, knowest, by painful experience, the bitterness and the 
reproaches which have always been heaped upon the faithful testimony- 
bearers in the days of persecution. And I had never been so well 
prepared until later time, to sympathize and partake with our early 
suffering brethren, in their sore persecutions and deep sufferings for 



LETTER TO EZRA COMFORT. 375 

the Lord's testimonies. How truly instructive the counsel and exhor- 
tations of those whose experience was perfected by the things which 
they had suffered ; and perhaps there is rarely anything to be found 
more so, than the encouragement contained in the extracts which thou 
kindly sent. If confirmation of the rectitude of our cause here in New 
England were in any wise wanting, the conduct, duplicity, and treachery 
of our persecutors supply abundant evidence that they are in the very 
same spirit, which has persecuted the faithful followers of the Lamb in 
almost every age of the Christian church. In recently looking over 
the history of the church, from the apostles' times nearly down to 
the present, I find many transactions recorded of those who professed 
to be acting for Christ and for his holy church, whose actions never- 
theless were strongly impressed with the mark of the beast and the 
number of his name, and strikingly answering as face unto face in a 
glass, unto many professions and proceedings in this our day ; clearly 
showing the enmity and malice of the same old enemy of God's heri- 
tage, and his practice of all manner of deceit and falsehood, for the 
ensnaring and destruction of the Lord's people and their testimonies, 
and aiming his deadly arrows at those little humble ones who dare not 
forego the covenant which Israel's Shepherd made with their forefathers, 
and has often renewed with them. And these, oh ! how continually are 
they crying and lifting up their hearts and hands unto their only 
Helper and Preserver, that he would in mercy turn aside the arrows 
of the destroyer, so that their lives might be spared, and his name not 
dishonored ; for, next to that of their own lives being given to them as 
a prey, is their prayer and their concern for the lives of his whole 
flock, and for those dignified doctrines and testimonies, which are the 
stakes and landmarks of his enclosure, and the armory of defence, 
whereby his sheepfold is protected from the ravages of the beast of 
prey. 

I trust and hope, my dear friend and brother, that both thyself and 
all the living witnesses of our sufferings, will not fail at times to put up 
petitions for us, and for the sustaining of the Lord's good cause in this 
land ; that through his own power and good pleasure, a remnant at 
least may be spared to give glory to his great and excellent name, and 
to stand as witnesses to that Truth into which he led and established 
our forefathers. ****** 

My opponents are quite ready at finding excuses for protracting the 
trial of my appeal, and it now stands referred to the last second day in 
the first month, at Providence, where I suppose they were resolved to 
have the case tried. But I am full in the faith that He, whose power 
is over all, can turn all into good to those who love him and serve 
him ; and in the same faith, I trust that whatsoever is permitted to 



376 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

befall me. will in the end tend to my good and to God's glory, if 
indeed I am favored to endure all with patience, and to trust in him 
entirely for strength and wisdom. * 

In much love to thyself and family, and dear Alice Knight, in which 
my wife and family unite, I conclude in that which I hope will abide 
with us forever, and am thine, 

John "Wilbur. 



FROM ANN JONES TO J. W. 

Stockport, 26th of 12th mo., 1843. 

MY DEAR AGED AKD AFFLICTED FEIEXD, 

This is the appellation and address which lives in my mind towards 
thee from day to day, and which I have desired for many weeks past 
an opportunity to greet thee with — but many engagements, many hin- 
drances, and not a few discouragements have prevented the accomplish- 
ment of it. However it be, whether I write or am silent, the precious 
bond of gospel fellowship is not lessened or interrupted ; and whether 
thou art a sensible partaker of the joys and consolations of the gospel, 
or the fountain of living waters is for a time like a spring shut up, a 
fountain sealed, and the Lord may, in inscrutable wisdom, be known 
to thee by the name of the Lord that hideth his face from the house of 
Jacob, still I believe thy soul is and will be kept alive even in famine ; 
and at times the experience will be thine, that in proportion as thy 
tribulations abound, so also thy consolations will abound in and through 
Christ Jesus, the everliving and holy head and high priest of his 
church, which he hath purchased with his own most precious blood. 
Ah ! fear not, neither be dismayed ; he knows who they are that suf- 
fer, and what this living number suffer, for his name and truth and 
testimony's sake. 

27th. Thy deeply interesting and truly affecting letter of the 1st of 
7th mo. was mine on the 28th. I have let several Friends see it, who 
are interested in the maintenance of the principles and testimonies of 
Truth, viz : L. A. Barclay, G. Crosfield, Croudson Tunstall, &c, all 
of these named have, I believe, written to thee since ; I hope thou hast 
received their letters, and that they have had an encouraging and 
strengthening effect on thy depressed and drooping mind. May the 
Lord Jehovah be thy stay and thy exceeding great reward. How- 
ever the enemies of Truth may triumph for a time, and vaunt as lords 
over the heritage, I cannot doubt but their spirit and unrighteous pro- 
ceedings, will be made manifest in the Lord's time, though to our finite 
reason and short .sight it may be deferred till some of the well-minded, 
though inexperienced ones are beguiled and led astray. Alas ! there 



LETTER TO EZRA COMFORT. 377 

is a great want of a single eye to the glory of God, and a firm, steady, 
upright walk before him, neither warped by favor, affection, or fear of 
man — but righteously determining, " Let others do as they may, as for 
me, I will serve the Lord." But as a people we are too much in affin- 
ity with the world, loving and courting its favor and friendship, unwill- 
ing to be baptized into death, that so we may be raised from spiritual 
death by the power of Him who is the Resurrection and the Life, 
having the spiritual senses and faculties exercised by reason of use, to 
discern both good and evil. Thus many who from their stations and 
standing in society ought to be way-marks to others, are themselves 
partially blind, unwilling to see, and afraid to risk their reputation 
among men ; so they " err in vision and stumble in judgment." But 
blessed be the name of Israel's Rock, we have still some clear-sighted 
ones remaining or raised up, to stand for the Truth in innocent bold- 
ness. 

Thy sister and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and 
patience of Jesus Christ, 

Ann Jones. 



FROM J. W. TO EZRA COMFORT. 

Hopkinton, 2d mo., 20th, 1844. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

Perhaps there is not another within the circle of my acquaintance so 
well qualified through living experience to sympathize with me under 
the continued portion, and accumulated weight of suffering, which has 
fallen to my lot in this sad day of treading down and shaking among 
the professors under our name, if not amongst many others. And I 
trust that thou art more understanding^ prepared to say than I am, 
" One woe is past, and behold, another woe cometh," and to see that 
the fulfilment of the prediction is true, and the interpretation thereof 
sure ; and art more fully aware of the indispensable necessity of abid- 
ing steadfast and immovable on the sure Foundation, during this great 
storm and mighty shaking, as it were, both of the earth and heavens. 
For it is not enough now that the minds of Quakers be shaken from 
their grasp of earthly treasures, and the friendship of the world, but 
that they should be shaken from their own — from the delusive contriv- 
ances and inventions of men, seeking to find an easy way to heaven, 
aside from the painful process of piercing asunder between soul and 
spirit, joints and marrow, whereby the thoughts and intents of the 
heart are revealed, through, and only through, a drinking with the 
Lord Jesus, in a measure, of the cup of his sufferings. He who flat- 
ters himself with the hope of a heavenly mansion, without a humbling 
submission to this sword of the Spirit, which separates the precious 



378 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

from the vile, will meet with the most sore and forlorn disappoint- 
ment. Oh ! how sad that it is so, that, through the love of ease and an 
unwillingness to endure the sanctifying power of the cross of Christ 
through the depths of his purgations, such a spirit should have found 

an entrance into the minds of so many who once knew better days ! 

******** 

On again reading over thy letter of 7th mo., 23d, my dear friend, 
which was received in due time, my heart has been made to leap for 
joy again, in beholding the excellency — the inexpressible favor of the 
Lord's mercies, in keeping his suffering children from falling and from 
despair ; and whilst I write, I feel bowed under a sense of my own 
utter insufficiency ; and that it is of the Lord's power only that I have 
not fallen into the hands of those who have been striving for my down- 
fall ; it is marvellous in mine eyes, that I have been mercifully so far 
preserved in holding fast to the law and to the testimony. Oh ! let the 
praise be ascribed only to his great and blessed name ; for surely, 
without his unmerited and gracious interposition, I must, long before 
this, have been numbered among the dead, to the dishonor of the good 
cause. Well, my dear brother, I am not alone, but as one among a few 
solitary sufferers here in New England, whose eyes are lifted up, and 
whose hearts are poured out before our blessed Shepherd, in deep suf- 
fering under the unrelenting hand of the oppressor, with prayers night 
and day for patience and wisdom, to endure, and to honor the cause 
which we are called to support, whilst the enemy is making stronger 
and stronger his armory for an exterminating warfare against us. Their 
plan is now nearly consummated, of excluding all in this Quarterly 
Meeting from service, except those who have been trained in the new 
school. * *.."'.* * * * 

More disownments will likely soon follow. Thomas B. Gould is 
now under their oppressive hands, in the character of overseers, and all 
others who seem qualified and are undaunted in support of the good 
cause, now stand as marks for the archers ; but it was believed that, 
notwithstanding the success of the Gurneyites in carrying their meas- 
ures in our late Quarterly Meeting, the cause of Truth gained, rather 
than lost, by the coming out of some of our younger men, and opening 
things pretty plainly before the meeting ; opportunities not likely to be 
allowed them much longer. Thus, my dear brother, in a few words, I 
have opened to thee the present state of things among us, by wjiich thou 
wilt see the increasing necessity of an understanding better than our 
own, to guide us along in safety through this cruel warfare, that is 
waged against us, for the alone reason that we feel bound by the sacred 
obligations of loyalty to the best of causes, and to His requirings whose 
that cause is. And I am satisfied that next to the immediate guidance 



LETTER TO THOMAS B. GOULD. 379 

and upholding of the divine Hand and Power, have been the sympathy, 
the advices, and the prayers of dear Friends and brethren in other parts 
of this land, as well as in Europe ; by whose availing intercessions 
our hands have been sustained and strengthened. These, or similar 
troubles are likely, as far as I can now see, to pass through the whole 
camp, in such manner as that the cause is one with the faithful every- 
where, tending mutually to bind them together, and to induce them to 
help one another, by adding strength to strength, in coming up to the 
help of the Lord against the mighty. * * * * 

My salutation, my beloved friend, in the love of the gospel, and in 
great tenderness, is to thee, and to all that are faithful in Christ Jesus, 
counting not their own lives dear in comparison with the love of God 
and the testimony of his life and power ; and so I remain thy friend 
and brother, 

John Wilbur. 



FROM J. W. TO THOMAS B. GOULD. 

Hopkinton, 5th mo., 14th, 1844. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

Although much engaged, I cannot persuade myself to suffer to- 
morrow morning's mail to pass by without a few lines to thee and 
Martha, and all the rest of you, who are resolved to ride out the storm 
through all ; if indeed the very best management on their own part, and 
full trust and confidence in Him whose way is in the deep, and who 
has for his chariot the wings of the wind, will bring their little bark in 
good time to some quiet and peaceful haven, where the enemies of the 
testimonies of the Lord's heritage cannot come — no, neither here nor 
hereafter ! And I am noways destitute, my dear fellow-sufferers, of an 
assurance of the aboundings of God's love and tender mercies, over all 
and through all, to those his living children, who are now in the midst 
of great tribulations ; out of which he will assuredly bring them, as 
they patiently endure the buffetings of the mighty foe, through his min- 
isters, for a little season. And however grievous and painful to be 
borne, let us even rejoice and be glad for His great name's sake, for 
which we are permitted to suffer, and remember the promise, that " the 
rod of the wicked shall not always rest upon the lot of the righteous ; " 
for he will, for the elect's sake, shorten those days, and for the sake of 
those who are given up to love and serve him, he will arise speedily, 
and deliver them from the hand of their enemies. He will compas- 
sionate his own people, as well as regard his own testimonies. His own 
people, however few in number, by the hand of his Providence shall es- 
cape the deluge, for the upholding of his name in the earth ; for behold 



380 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

he is despised and blasphemed at the head of every street, and the 
wicked triumph over the flock of his pasture. 

* ■ * * * How plain it is that Quaker preachers, who have but 
ordinary natural talent, and no school learning, when they turn aside 
from the source from which they had usually drawn afresh their sup- 
plies, and enlist under the banners of men, make miserable work of it ! 
* * * * Tools are not so much to blame, as those who use them. 
And all such works as these will certainly turn to the furtherance and 
accomplishment of God's purposes, in the separation of that which 
serveth him, from that which serveth him not. My dear Thomas, let 
none of these things move thee. Remember, persecution by the world 
and by false brethren, has been the lot of the righteous in all ages. 
Despair not, but cherish the gift ; and it will take root downward with 
the greater force, the more it is trodden under the feet of ungodly men ; 
and then the storehouse will be full, and enlarged, against the day of 
Israel's deliverance from his bondage. * * * * 

Thy friend, John Wilbur. 



FROM ALICE KNIGHT TO J W. 

Frankford 6th mo., 10th, 1844. 

Notwithstanding I have written the last letter to my dear friend John 
Wilbur, I feel a strong inclination to avail myself of this medium of 
converse with thee, as the only one that seems to be granted me at this 
time, according to the good order of church discipline. Thou hast no 
doubt heard ere this, that thy poor, feeble and unworthy correspondent 
has done what she could in resigning herself to be a sharer with you in 
suffering, at your Yearly Meeting, for the testimonies of Truth, in sup- 
port of the doctrines of the gospel of our dear Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ, which he continues to keep very dear and precious in the hearts 
of some of you (and I hope not a few) in your part of his heritage, 
yes, worth suffering deeply for, which does even now redound to his 
glory and honour, and, if steadfastness is abode in to the end, will even 
more and more show forth his praise. Oh, the desire that I sometimes 
feel for all his suffering children everywhere, that may at seasons be 
made to feel that the muddy waters compass them about even to the 
soul, that they are enclosed in its depths, and the weeds are wrapt 
about their heads ; that they may continue to feel that their only helper is 
the Lord of Hosts ; for he will surely keep these in his house of prayer, 
and when they may be suffered to feel that their poor souls are ready 
to faint within them, he, the Lord, will strengthen them from his holy 
temple. 



LETTER FROM ALICE KNIGHT. 381 

We have recently heard the Gurneyites have taken up the cases of 
and . I was surprised to hear it, sup- 



posing ere this, they must see their works are dark ; but alas ! how 
often do we see the sorrowful effects produced, to the blinding of the 
eyes of those who once give themselves up to listen to the deceiver of 
mankind. And are not these things permitted, and they suffered to 
continue in their unrighteous works, in order to open the eyes of some 
who have not yet been able to see into the mystery of iniquity, and 
in order to hasten the day of separation from these people ? I greatly 
desire the encouragement of all these under treatment as well as other 
rightly exercised Friends, to faithfulness in contending for the Truth, 
without fearing consequences. But why need I write thus to a father, 
who has taken many more deep lessons in the school of Christ than 
I have done ? And I greatly feel that I have need of the prayers 
of the faithful for my safe abiding on the sure Foundation, patient 
under every suffering dispensation, — for I feel it to be a day of deep 
trial, wherein it is all important to remember the watchword given 
by our blessed Saviour to his disciples formerly, " Watch and pray," 
and I believe there are seasons when we may feel that we cannot pray, 
yet we can watch. And I believe my dear friend will understand me, 
and that this is a little effusion of the exercises I daily feel, in looking 
towards your approaching annual assembly, and the very important 
decisions that may be come to there, for I think I may say I feel bound 
with my dear, suffering friends, in bonds for the sake of the gospel. 

I believe sometimes when we are not called upon openly to speak 
against such as we cannot fully unite with, we are nevertheless bound 
to bear testimony in silence. In this we may be accounted as fools and 
even hated by the worldly wise ; and sometimes such things feel hard 
to bear ; yet' there are seasons when we are made to rejoice in him 
through whom the victory was obtained. I believe thou wilt understand 
me in this, and I think thou canst unite with me in the sentiment, that 
there are some Friends we meet with, to whom we can get very near, 
though strangers ; whom we feel as bone of our bone, and flesh of our 
flesh — kindred spirits met ; to whom we can impart our religious views 
without any reserve. There are others that generally speak the same 
language, and seem very friendly, to whom we may even desire to im- 
part our feelings and views, yet there is something that is as a barrier 
between us. ***** *#*# 

I want sound Friends to stand firm and faithful, for now is the time ; 
but if no way should clearly open when the time comes, I am far from 
desiring any step taken without a sensible feeling of the sanction of 
Truth in your movements. For I continue firm in the belief that the 



382 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

Lord will work for you and with you, for deliverance, in his own time 
and way. May all the rightly exercised be encouraged to put on the 
whole armor of faith ! * * * * 

A letter from thee is always gladly received by thy unworthy cor- 
respondent, Alice Kxight. 



FROM L. A. BARCLAY TO J. W. 

Reigate, Surrey, 6th mo., 14th, 1844. 

MY DEAR AND HONORED FRIEND, 

My mind seemed so much with thee the last week that I think I must 
(though in a poor, low spot myself) take pen and tell thee so, assuring 
thee that thou art very near and dear to me and I trust a number 
more in this land who remember thy faithful spirit and labor of love 
amongst us in days that are past, wherein thou wast (made of God !) a 
great comfort to an afflicted remnant amongst us, who have felt melted 
into tender sympathy with thee in the hearing of thy sore trials of 
latter years ; the worst sort of all, namely, from false brethren ! And 
we rejoice that thou art preserved in a noble yet humble spirit, willing 
to suffer for the pure testimony of the everlasting Truth, and hast been 
(as indeed we doubted not) so marvellously sustained and supported 
under such deep afflictions, yea, wonderfully comforted with a peace 
which the afflicters can never give, neither can they take away when it 
flows in the soul like the streams of a refreshing river ! blessed be the 
Father of mercies and God of all sure consolation who gives it ! And 
my dear friend, I hope and trust thou art thus supported and comforted 
at this time, which I have been remembering is the time of your 
Yearly Meeting, and when I suppose thy private appeal will come for- 
ward, but it is not likely with any better success than the other last 
year, seeing there are such unjust and unconstitutional' measures re- 
sorted to ; yet we do know there is a Power who can in a moment 
withdraw man from his purpose, and overturn all the devices of the 
wisdom of man ! Then it is unto Him alone that we must commit thee, 
our dearly beloved friend and tribulated brother, whose thou art and 
whom thou sincerely desires faithfully to serve, and whose is the cause 
thou hast been and art concerned to uphold (and no private ends or 
party whatsoever !) to thy dying breath. And he is sufficient for his 
poor feeble servants in all their exercises and trials, who feel but as 
the worms of the dust and unworthy of the least of all his tender 
goodness ! He ever will be all-sufficient to support, strengthen, comfort 
and preserve them, and will get himself glory through them, even if 
it seem best in his inscrutable wisdom it should be through unparalleled 
afflictions ! If he saw meet that the Captain of our salvation should 



LETTEE FEOM ANN JONES. 383 

be made perfect through sufferings, is it not enough for the disciples 
that they be as their Master ? And those who suffer the most- for him 
are the most highly honored ! Nevertheless, tender sympathy flows 
in the fellow-feelers towards such as are thus peculiarly " set for the 
defence of the gospel," and their breathings do continually arise for 
their help and support, as do ours at this time on thy behalf unto Him 
whose is the power, and oh ! that thou mayest be kept of him in peace 
to the end ! 

When it is well with thee crave the strengthening and preservation 
of thy nearly united and affectionate friend, 

Lydia A. Barclay. 



FROM ANN JONES TO J. W. AND WIFE. 

Stockport, 7th mo., 28th, 1844. 

MY DEAR AFFLICTED FRIENDS, 

* * * * I began this at home on first day evening, but was 
prevented from proceeding with it until to-day. I am now with my 
companion, S. Horner, at the house of our dear friend Henry Neild at 
Frandley, where our Monthly Meeting was held yesterday. Since I 
left home on fourth day morning I have received in an envelope, di- 
rected by thy hand I believe, " Two Letters " (written by thee) " in rela- 
tion to the doctrines, order, and usages of the Society of Friends," to 
which is appended a Contrast, &c, by another hand. ***** 
It seems very clear to me that any Friend, reading these letters, must 
at once perceive that the ground of thy disownment has been no other 
than thy faithful maintenance of the doctrines of Christianity, as held 
by the Society from the beginning. May the blessed Head of the 
church himself keep and sustain thee, in every season of conflict and 
affliction, guide thee by his counsel, and give thee wisdom to support 
the cause in which thou art engaged — wisdom and skill which thy ad- 
versaries shall not be able to gainsay or resist. This I trustfully be- 
lieve will be the case, and that thou wilt be helped, not only by thy 
own dear family and personal friends, to place the whole matter and all 
the proceedings in their true light before the public, but also that He 
who is strength in weakness, to his poor dependent children who have no 
might of their own, riches in poverty, and a very present helper in 
trouble, will be near to thee and thine in all your afflictions — even He 
who was with the three children in the fiery furnace, and with his faith- 
ful Daniel in the lions' den. That it will yet be made manifest that the 
Lord has reserved and preserved to himself a number comparable to 
the seven thousand in Israel, who have not bowed the knee to Baal or 



384 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

kissed this, his image. The Holy one will defend his own cause in his 
own time and way. He will not give his glory to another, nor his praise 
to man's device. He can and will bring down the tall cedars of Lebanon 
when he pleaseth, and exalt his own little, lowly seed, and bring it into 
dominion, to the glory of his own everlastingly glorious name. * * * 
Henry Neild requests his dear love given thee, and wishes me to say 
he hopes thou wilt be strengthened to bear whatever is permitted to 
come upon thee in consequence of the stand thou hast made against 
innovation. Thou hast his near sympathy. 

Dear Sarah Horner sends her love very affectionately. Accept mine 
also, in which I am thy friend in tribulation, 

Ann Jones. 



FROM J. W. TO THOMAS B. GOULD. 

Hopkinton, 8th mo., 1st, 1844. 

MY DEAR THOMAS, 

***** I have thought a great deal about thee, under thy 
accumulation of afflictions and trials of different kinds ; and some of 
them I know to be of no common order. For it had become an un- 
common thing, until recently, to be persecuted for righteousness' sake, 
even by the worst sort of people ; but now, the kindest of appellations 
has been so shamefully abused, that some who still claim the name of 
Friends, are found to have become so apostate from almost all that is 
good, that their appetite for devouring the lambs of the flock seems 
almost as keen as that of a Roman. 

Well, my dear brother, the hotter the battle, if we meet it undaunt- 
edly, and fight valiantly, as becomes good soldiers of our dear Lord and 
Master, who himself was never foiled in battle, nor beaten in the field 
of strife, the sooner will the end come. He will always cover the heads 
of those who fight with him, in the ranks of his own appointment, and 
give them an armor which the fiery darts of Satan's army can never 
penetrate, to destroy the inward life. Blessed be his name ! Let us 
thank him, and take courage ; for he will yet, if we cast not away the 
shield, make us to rejoice, yea even to shout in victory over all our 
souls' enemies! 

Our Gurneyite overseers have sent to Greenwich, through their 
Preparative Meeting, a complaint against what they call " a disowned 
member," for sitting at the head of the meeting, and for speaking 
therein ; desiring the advice and assistance of the Monthly Meeting, 
in restoring Christian order, &c. ; — this is as near as can be remem- 
bered. And so we may expect soon a committee of much physical 



LETTER TO EZEA COMFORT. 385 

power — for restoring order? No, but for introducing disorder, by 
placing some of their sleeping monuments here at the head of the 
meeting. For there is not one among them on the men's side, but 
sleeps much of the time, when assembled, and they are often all asleep 
at the same time ; so that thou wilt readily see the disgrace that must 
attach to a Monthly Meeting that places such men at the head of a 
meeting for solemn worship ; and painful will it be for all but them- 
selves, to sit under such government ; and very few besides will likely 
meet with them. 

My mouth has been opened but once, since Yearly Meeting, pub- 
licly ; and then they attempted to close the meeting as soon as I sat 
down, in contempt of my service ; and the Gurneyite men all went 
out; whilst Friends, with a number of the neighbors present, kept 
their seats until a proper time to close ; by which they were apparently 
a good deal exasperated, and consequently resorted to the measure 
above alluded to. * * ****** 

My wife joins me in dear love to thyself and wife, and all our dear 
friends, who are resolved to follow on to know the Lord more perfectly, 
though obtained only through this great fight of affliction. 

John Wilbur. 

from j. tv. to ezra comfort. 

Hopkinton, 8th mo., 22d, 1844. 

MY DEAK FKIEND, 

* * * W e ]i ? inasmuch as I hesitate not in believing that the 
course which I have taken was in the ordering of Truth, so I trust that 
if I am favored to continue to keep a single eye to its pointing, that He 
whom I have endeavored faithfully to serve, will still be with me, and 
fulfil in me his whole purpose, if anything yet remains for me to do 
before I go hence ; and so I murmur not, nor repine, on account of my 
condition, but consider it preferable to that of being restored to such a 
body of false brethren. ******* 

I was not long since invited to attend a funeral, among other people, 
at some distance from home ; and feeling easy to do so, I went, and in 
much clearness and freshness was raised up, in a very large gathering, 
to testify of the way of life and salvation ; and since, I have attended 
our Western meeting, and was livingly exercised in breaking bread to 
a little remnant of hungering minds, to my own and their great consola- 
tion ; and I also had two family opportunities in the neighborhood, to 
the like satisfaction ; and subsequently had a public meeting, by ap- 
pointment, at Kingston, which is our county town, and was largely 
opened in testimony to a large company, mostly Presbyterians, and 
33 



386 JOUKNAL OF JOHN WILBUE. 

some Baptists ; and although the meeting was long, I have rarely seen 
so large a gathering sit so solid and quiet. It was, I believe, satisfac- 
tory to them, and truly, peace and consolation were the fruits of that 
opportunity to my mind. And I feel free to say to thee, my dear 
friend, that on such occasions, as it always has been, so it remains to be 
with me still, — to go to such meetings in fear and trembling for the 
safety of the ark of Truth's testimonies. 

It has been pretty clearly opened to me, that if life and strength con- 
tinue, considerable service will be, ere long, called for at my hands, in 
different neighborhoods round about, as well as at some places more re- 
mote. Our principles and testimonies, and the spreading of them among 
mankind, never looked more desirable than at the present time ; and 
notwithstanding the great declension in these times, I am disposed to 
accord with the views of dear Sarah Grubb, in England, as well as 
some others of the like cast, that after a great sifting time, there will 
be a greater gathering to our principles than ever has been since the 
early days of the Society. Under such a view as this, I am encouraged 
to let the things which are now shaking the Society to its foundation, 
pass over and be gone, and to look forward, trusting in the arm of the 
Almighty ; and believing that he will, when he has spewed out of his 
mouth the hypocrites and the oppressors, gather to himself a people that 
will serve him and honor him, and, by the uprightness and purity of 
their lives, as well as by the promulgation of the gospel in the demon- 
stration of the Spirit and with power, give glory to his great and adora- 
ble name ; and in a manner which these adversaries of Truth can neither 
resist nor gainsay. * * * * For the grievous transgressions of 
Israel, his hypocrisy, his idolatry, his oppression, and the profaning of 
his sanctuary, the Lord has given him into the hand of Satan, to buffet 
him, and to scatter him to the four winds of heaven. But as it was said 
by the prophet, " A remnant shall be saved." And these, if they abide 
in his courts, shall be as seed sown in the earth, and shall spring up and 
flourish, and he will cause them to spread forth, as gardens by the river- 
side, and will pour down the dayspring from on high into their bosoms, 
and they shall walk in the light of life, and power shall be given them 
to tread on serpents and scorpions, and receive no harm. Oh ! my dear 
friend, what cause of encouragement goeth forth under such views as 
these, even while the darkest cloud overshadows us. Such a day as 
this was foreseen by dear Mary Ridgway, some fifty years ago. An 
aged Friend with us, whose memory is remarkable of things in olden 
time, says, that she came into the men's Yearly Meeting at Newport, 
and addressed it as follows : " Friends, I have had a prospect that has 
borne very heavy upon my mind, and which I feel constrained to com- 
municate to this meeting. I have seen the blackest and thickest cloud 



LETTER TO THOMAS B. GOULD. 387 

that I ever saw, hang over New England. And I desire Friends to be 
on their guard, and to get to their watch-tower, for I believe there is a 
sifting time coming ; and such trials as have never been before in this 
land, will surely come upon this people." 

Mary Peisley speaks of a reformation in the Society of Friends, — of 
advancing in the principles of early Friends, and speaks of some in the 
following manner : " Instead of going forward, they have looked back, 
and even sunk below the standard of the first reformers." And says 
again : " And those who will be the instruments to labor for a reforma- 
tion in this degenerate age, must find a difference in their trials from 
the sons of the former morning ; they will be of a more severe and 
piercing kind. Theirs were from the world, and such as might be ex- 
pected ; our trials will chiefly arise from those under the same profes- 
sion, clothed with the spirit of this world, though under disguise. God 
will divide in Jacob, and scatter in Israel, before that reformation is 
brought about which he designs." And these prophecies, I apprehend, 
include both as one, the troubles which began with you some years 
ago, and those which now afflict the church ; and although the charac- 
teristic is changed, the spirit, just as thou told me in a former letter, is 
the same, — it is the spirit of the destroying angel. Thomas Shiliitoe 
also testified of a grievous sifting time in our Yearly Meeting, the same 
in substance as Mary Ridgway, and seemed to lay the responsibility 

upon a spurious ministry, now seen to be literally correct. 

********** 

Dear Ann Jones, in a late letter, encourages our publishing a statement 
of the wrongs which we have received at the hands of our opposers in 
New England, which, as far as I can hear, will be agreeable to all 
sound Friends in this country. From thy friend, 

John Wilbur. 



FROM J. W. TO THOMAS B. GOULD. 

Near Kingston, [9th mo., 1st, 1844.] 

MY DEAR THOMAS, 

***** j n m y j e ^ er t J hn Pease, I mentioned that a 
friend to him as well as me, had proposed that he should be put in a 
way of more information, &c, and as I had had no personal opportu- 
nity, I resorted to pen and paper ; informing him that the complainants 
were not able to make so much as a breach of one paragraph of our 
discipline to bear upon me ; but that in the progress of their proceed- 
ings, they had violated it at least ten times ; and further told him, that 
our Yearly Meeting itself, by sanctioning those proceedings, had virtu- 
ally trodden down and destroyed its own discipline, &c. In his answer, 



388 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

he informed me, that both himself and companion had read my letter, 
each twice over, and he thought best to read it to a select number of 
the Yearly Meeting's committee. He says, they in a few words dis- 
approved of every part of it, and of that part which said, I was disowned 
without discipline — that tbey said they took altogether a different view 
of it, &c. And so J. P. excuses himself from entering into judgment 
upon the merits of the case. * 

"Well, now, my dear brother Thomas, I am not at all disappointed 
nor surprised at thy manner of writing in relation to thyself: however 
tender the feeling, and deep the commiseration which I feel towards thee 
and for thee, with fervent prayers that thou may not be left to cast 
away the shield as though it had never been anointed, — though very 
near have I myself been brought to it many times. Hast thou not often 
read of the deep baptisms, desertions, and sore conflicts, if not misgiv- 
ings, of those whom the blessed Master had chosen to publish his gospel, 
and qualified by living experience of their own, to administer fitly to the 
condition of those who are in bonds and in prison for the word of God 
and for the testimony of Jesus ? And as there never has been such a 
time as this in our Society, nor even in the world at large in relation 
to the divine purposes, and the condition of Christianity, nor the field 
of harvest so white perhaps before the laborers ; there is proportionably 
greater need of the laborers and messengers being entirely bereft of 
everything pertaining to the flesh — everything of their own — and to be 
entirely clad with the pure white linen, the covering of the Lord's own 
holy, blessed Spirit. And these new garments cannot be so advan- 
tageously worn, whilst some of the old ones remain upon us. nor yet so 
consistently. Oh. then. I yet keep desiring for myself, that I may so 
patiently and so willingly endure the purgations of the waters of Jor- 
dan, which is judgment, that all which pertains to Esau, the first-born, 
may be wholly taken away, even if it should require long and fearful 
standing in the very bottom of that river. 

***** j n muc ] 1 near an( j (j ear i ove anc | affection to 

you all, and all the honest-hearted on that island, I am thine, 

John Wilbur. 



FR03I J. W. TO MIOSES COMFORT. 

Hopkinton, R. I.. 10th mo, 22d, 1644. 

MT DBAS FEIEXD. 

I felt greatly obliged to thee for thy interesting account of the last 
sickness and close of that dear, devoted, and undaunted servant of the 
Lord. Alice Knight. Precious, indeed, is her memory to me ! And 
as Mary Pennington said concerning her husband, that she ascended 



LETTER TO MOSES COMFORT. 389 

with him, and saw him safely landed and gathered to a mansion of 
everlasting rest, joy, and peace, so, with an eye of living faith and gos- 
pel assurance, methinks I see her purified spirit, glorified and dignified 
in the presence of her holy Redeemer in heaven, to go no more out. 
Of him she was not ashamed, nor afraid to confess his blessed name 
among men ; nor did she flinch, for fear of man, from delivering the 
message and whole counsel of God committed into her hands for others. 
Henceforth, saith the Spirit, blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, 
(and this precious handmaid was one of them,) yea, they shall rest from 
their labors, and their works do follow them. Yea, their faithful works 
shall follow them as a sweet testimony and memorial before God, and 
that innumerable company of angels and the spirits of just men made 
perfect, in the kingdom of Him who redeemed them with his own 
blood ! In comparison with this blessed assurance of the happy death 
and heavenly ascension of the faithful and tribulated servants of the 
Lord, everything of a sublunary character sinks down to nothing and 
vanity ! 

How great, then, the work of contributing to such a result ; and how 
happy the knowledge of the right way for such contribution ! Instead 
of calling people to Christ and him crucified, the wisdom of God and the 
power of God, how many are the teachers which mankind have heaped 
to themselves, having itching ears to hear the devices or the divining of 
men learned and skilled in earthly wisdom, in hewing out cisterns, and 
making substitutes beautiful to the eye, and pleasing to the ear, and grati- 
fying to the carnal mind and will of man ! And thus the people are 
grievously led to mistake the image and likeness of a thing (of immense 
importance) for the thing itself. Oh, the responsibility that rests even 
upon those whom God has called and anointed to direct his people in the 
true way ; even in the way heavenward ! And, on the other hand, how 
reprehensible are those who, knowing nothing themselves of the way 
everlasting, and having nothing, can therefore give nothing that has life 
in it, but are exhibiting a poor, lifeless substitute, causing the people 
to mistake it for the right thing, to trust in it, and to risk their all 
upon it, when, alas ! woful disappointment must follow ! And what a 
grievous thing it would be, if the testimony to a living ministry, through 
the dispensation of the good Spirit, should be lost in the world ; and 
more especially lamentable, if we who have witnessed the descending of 
its heavenly dew, should return again to the weak and beggarly ele- 
ments, and through carnal indulgence, and inattention to the Divine gift, 
and an unwillingness to endure the only preparation for it, of the Holy 
Ghost and fire, should make shipwreck of the faith of the gospel of our 
Lord and Saviour, vouchsafed to our fathers, and even unto us who are 
here alive this day. How much cause have we, therefore, to pray to 
33* 



JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

the Father, that he would raise up and anoint and send forth, (in this 
day of fainting and of turning backward,) many living and faithful 
laborers into his harvest. If his arm is not made bare in some such 
marvellous way, for poor New England, it does seem that his testimo- 
nies must fall to the ground in many of our streets, and be trodden 
under the feet of men. ***** 

A faithful, livingly concerned Friend, in this day, is a treasure of 
great value. May the Lord increase their number, and strengthen their 
hands, to work effectually in his vineyard ; so that our eyes fail not in 
weeping for those who are gathered home, or rather for the loss of 
them, from their ranks in the Lord's army ! 

Farewell. From thy affectionate, though tribulated friend, 

John Wilbur. 



FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY TO J. "W. 

Reigate, Surrey, 25th of 10th mo., 1844. 

MY DEAR FBIEND, 

There are so many amongst us who cannot discern through things — 
they seem «.s if they could feel no difference between a lecture-like dis- 
course and a true gospel testimony ; and, moreover, if that discourse is 
mingled with much of words about ancient times and doctrines, they 
think it must be in unison with our ancient views, or the doctrines of 
Truth ; whereas, such a discourse is defective in life and power, and 
makes nothing perfect, (as it were,) not being a true testimony unto and 
for Christ and his spiritual kingdom. Now, there are divers of these 
laborers amongst us in the mixture, and I fear their hands will be 
strengthened ; these are large in words, and very active in running to 
and fro, so that there is hardly a possibility of escaping coming in con- 
tact with them and being hindered ! And there is also a great stirring 
up of elders of latter years to deal with those who hold forth the ancient 
doctrines, so that the little remnant of these last are often much dis- 
couraged and shut up, like as being in prison, and cannot come forth as 
fully as would otherwise be ; for the fields are white unto harvest, and 
many are the seeking and visited minds up and down, but, alas ! when 
at our meetings they are too often fed with such doctrines as they can 
hear from their own preachers, and they even say so to some of us, to 
our grief ! So that we may truly say, " Truth is fallen in our streets, 
and righteousness cannot enter ! " I am, in the fellowship of the gos- 
pel, thy affectionate friend, Lydia A. Barclay. 



LETTER TO EZRA COMFORT. 391 

FROM J. W~. TO EZRA COMFORT. 

Hopkinton, 12th mo., 14th, 1844. 

MY DEAR FRIEND EZRA COMFORT, 

I received in due time thy last letter, and will inform thee that it was 
truly satisfactory ; and I apprehend that thou hast been, previous to 
the arrival of this, informed of the proceedings which have transpired 
in Rhode Island since that time, such as the sustaining of the Quar- 
terly Meeting of Friends, and all the Monthly Meetings thereto belong- 
ing, with the meeting for worship at Newport, distinct from the defec- 
tive party ; and last first day for the first time at Hopkinton, in that 
part of the house unoccupied, we were, for once, permitted to sit quietly 
under our own vine and fig-tree ; but since, that part has been made 
fast against us, so that on fifth day we met at the nearest Friend's 
house, which was that of my son-in-law, Thomas Foster ; but where 
our meeting will be settled, will not be decided until our next Monthly 
Meeting. 

The church in old England, in early times, although greatly perse- 
cuted, always had her able advocates, who sustained her testimonies, 
both through the press and in the gallery. But the church in New 
England, alas ! can hardly be said, at this time, to be favored with 
either ! Who can forbear to bemoan her condition ? Could the church 
in those former days, united as she was, have sustained those testimo- 
nies to that honorable extent, without the means alluded to ? Or could 
she have done so, by the one without the other, even if her choice of 
the two were allowed her ? Would a Fox, a Penn, or a Barclay, if 
such there were in this day in any part of the heritage, suffer an 
abused and violated discipline to deter them from faithfully exposing 
such heresy as now prevails in New England, both with the tongue and 
with the pen ? Or would they spare the authors of that heresy, or the 
violators of our discipline, if irreclaimable, let the professions of such 
be what they may ? If the discipline could not be exercised to reach 
them, would not those worthies resort to that which would supply its 
place, in testifying against them ? 

Oh ! my dear friend, I tremble for the safety and success of our little 
solitary remnant ; — not so much from the smallness of the number, as for 
fear it may not continue stayed upon the Rock of Ages ! Great danger 
awaits us, lest, in the bustle and commotion, lest, in the strife of tongues, 
that which has been committed to us make its escape, and thereby the 
Divine purpose, in sifting out this people, be lost, through our lack of 



3£2 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

keeping down individually to the holy witness for God in ourselves. 
And besides this, though our whole number will be very small, yet, of 
this remnant, there are some, who are far from being clear of the leaven 
of this world, How much cause there is for the few servants and hand- 
maidens, who may be favored to make good their escape, to lift up 
their hearts in prayers and intercessions to God, that he would deign 
to help us with a blessing from Mount Zion, seeing there is none other 
hand that can gather us to the holy standard of everlasting righteous- 
ness, — seeing there is none other name that can prosper our cause 
(which is his) among the nations. 

In much love to thyself and wife, and all our dear friends, in which 
my wife unites with me, I conclude as ever thy friend, in the covenant 
of the everlasting gospel, John Wilbur. 



FROM THOMAS B. GOULD TO J. "W. 

Newport, 19th of 12th mo., 1844. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

* * * * I suppose thou hast seen brother J.'s letter, in which he 
proposes that the Quarterly Meeting should publish a statement of the 
Swanzey affair, addressed to individuals, and for the information of the 
other Quarterly Meetings, through them. He seems to think, as this 
was in the first instance an attempt to disown a member for calling 
J. J. Gurney's boohs unsound, that it is not only a very strong case in 
itself, but that it would have a powerful effect in opening the eyes of the 
people, and in disproving the charge that thou art the cause of all the 
difficulty, as thou hadst no part in it, and thy name, of course, would 
not appear. 

I must say that I think well of the Quarterly Meeting publishing at 
least a simple statement of facts. I never approved of the hurried 
way in which they finished their business and adjourned, the last quar- 
ter ; the circumstances were then, and are now, very peculiar ; and I 
did think that Friends should have taken more time, and have entered 
more fully into a serious and weighty consideration of, and investiga- 
tion into the state of things, under the direction of best wisdom, in 
order that they might have been favored unitedly to see what was re- 
quired of them. But we have got so accustomed to a formal lifeless 
round, and beaten track of things, that it is difficult to get out of it, or 
perhaps to receive anything beyond it. * * * * We have felt 
much solid satisfaction and comfort in the attendance of our religious 
meetings ; several of them have been mercifully owned in a remarka- 
ble manner, though held in silence until last first day ; when He who 



LETTER FROM EZRA COMFORT. 393 

openeth and none can shut, set before me an open door, and there was 
much brokenness apparent in several who were in attendance ; and it 
was truly one of those seasons for which we have cause to be thankful, 
and from which we may take courage, notwithstanding the increasing 
rage of our adversaries, who would fain control that which is beyond 
them ; for they, even they, are limited. * * * I cannot go much 
further, for it is one o'clock, and this is the second letter I have written 
this evening. I do wish thou wouldst come over and sit with us in our 
meetings. The weight of things, as thou must see, rests heavily upon 
a few, and the responsibility is great ; which I would gladly divide, and 
more too. But I can truly say, I find the cross as great as ever, and a 
deeply settled aversion and unwillingness to take it up, as strong ; still, 
there is something which compels ; and it feels increasingly constrain- 
ing and diffusive. But lest I go too far, I will not add more, even to 
thee, whom I look upon as a father indeed ; and in the scarcity of such, 
perhaps thou wilt excuse the simplicity and freedom of a little child, 
and believe me to be, in all sincerity, truly thine with love unchanged, 

T. B. Gould. 



FROM EZRA COMFORT TO J. W. 

Whitemarsh, 3d mo., 20th, 1845. 

MY VERY DEAR AND MUCH ESTEEMED FRIEND JOHN WILBUR, 

I received thy very acceptable present, and, after reading it, I can 
say it is a very satisfactory work ; the publication of such proceedings 
as have been carried on in your land, will, I think, be very useful now, 
in the present state of society, as well as to posterity. I think we have 
never had so full a history of the workings of an out-going spirit, as the 
one thou hast preserved and published. I have no doubt there always 
has been a striking similarity of persons and conduct in all these rents 
that have ever been made in our Society, and probably it will be so, 
if there should be the like in ages to come. The same evil spirit 
always produces the same evil fruits. It is true that the tree is 
always known by its fruit. Such clear, manifest, shameless, evil con- 
duct, I apprehend, has never before been committed by any professing 
our name ; and its public exposure at the present time, will, I hope, be 
a blessing to society at large. Thy very feeling introductory and con- 
cluding remarks must reach the witness in every heart, if it has not, 
previously, been crucified and slain. But oh, what awful darkness 
must such be plunged into, before they could commit these cruel out- 
rages against the Truth ! May it be a solemn warning to all who are 
yet favored with the light, and are standing in it, to take heed lest 



394 JOUBNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

they fall. I believe it has always been those who have been the most 
eminently gifted and favored instruments, when they depart from the 
way of life, and become exalted, for want of keeping the body under, 
that become the greatest enemies of Truth ; and there are none others 
that so grievously afflict the church of Christ. 

I understand thy book has been much called for, and is likely to be 
freely circulated amongst us — I hope to profit. Oh ! my dear friend, 
thy sufferings and labors have been very great for thy divine Master ; 
and thy reward of peace is, no doubt, in proportion. Whether thou 
lives, or not, to see the fruits of thy labors and sufferings, they will 
assuredly be blessed, not only to thyself, in the enjoyment of great 
peace, but also to the Lord's heritage. These things which we have to 
pass through at the present time, are not permitted to come upon us for 
naught. Oh, what a mass of corruption there is, and has been, amongst 
us as a people ! If this dispensation of deep suffering will only have its 
perfect work, in separating the precious from the vile, I have thought 
it will be light, in comparison with the joy that the church will witness, 
when Truth will reign over all, as in ancient days, in its wonted good- 
ness and dominion. Then truly we may say, as Moses said, " Happy 
art thou, Israel ! Who is like unto thee ! A people saved by the 
Lord ; thy enemies shall be found liars unto thee, and thou shalt tread 
upon their high places." But oh, how is it now? Our Israel is, and 
has for a long time, been in sore bondage. I was in hopes, after the 
sifting we passed through, we should have seen better days, but my 
hopes were soon lost, as to the time of our deliverance having yet come ; 
for I saw many going to build a tower — a Babel, to save us from an- 
other deluge — and I labored against it, and have been lightly esteemed 
by many, for opposing so great and good a work ; but it is a branch of 
the same corrupt tree, yet it is cloaked under an extended religious 
education. Our children are to be taught religion at schools, or by 
parents, as a science ; as if it could be obtained by human acquirements. 
A great good is to be gained by our committing the Scriptures to mem- 
ory, that we may be ready, at all times, when asked, to give an account 
of the hope that is in us. There have a few pamphlets lately come 
into this country, containing three letters of our late esteemed John 
Barclay of England, which very fully unmask that kind of education, 
and has greatly relieved my mind. I think if there could be an edition 
printed here, it would be very useful, but I understand his old-fash- 
ioned views and doctrines are thought by many not proper to be held 
up to view in this enlightened and advanced day — and by some, at 
whom I am astonished — but, alas ! whenever I hear it held up that we 
are, or must become, more advanced in light and knowledge, and that 
it will not do to use, in the present day, the same plainness or severity 



LETTER FROM EZRA COMFORT. 395 

of language in our speaking or writing, as was used by our early 
Friends, I am ready to conclude that such, let them be who they may, 
are not advancing in the right, but are in a downward course. It is 
much to be feared that, under this view of the state of things amongst 
us, there is much suffering yet to be passed through, before we, as a 
people, shall witness that glorious day that was known in the early time 
of our Society. They were then an inward and spiritually minded 
people, all walking by the same rule and minding the same thing, in 
great humility and fear ; then the heavenly unity abounded, to their 
unspeakable joy. 

I understand the Gurneyites have disowned sound Friends gener- 
ally, within the limits of Rhode Island Quarter, and are forcibly keep- 
ing them out of their meeting-houses. No doubt they intend to keep 
them out of the Yearly Meeting. If this should be the case, it may 
all work together for good. ****** There is nothing 
that confounds that out-going spirit more than a manifested meek 
and quiet spirit — this gives them no fuel to feed their fire, without 
which they are in torment. That which is the enjoyment of the 
righteous, is their torment. I speak my views in simplicity to thee, 
as a brother, for I feel much interested, as though I was one, mingling 
with you, and I doubt not, as your eye is kept single to the great Head 
of his church — as I think there is ground to hope has hitherto been the 
case — you will, in all things, be directed aright. I think our dear 
suffering Friends with you have been mercifully helped, so far, to pur- 
sue their course through much deep affliction and trial. There is great 
encouragement to press forward through every crowd of opposition, to 
the Truth, until it obtains the glorious victory, which it always has, and 
ever will, in the end. It appears to me there is, and will be, so much 
opportunity of knowledge throughout the limits of your Yearly Meet- 
ing, and so much time for inquiry, and there have been so many noto- 
rious outrages committed, that such as are not prepared, by that time, 
to join with you in the support of the Truth, will not, I apprehend, ever 
after, or, if they should ever join you, be of much strength to you ; 
so it was with us. I rejoice, hoping the time is nigh come, when you 
may again (although you may be but a little remnant) enjoy that 
quiet, peaceful, heavenly fellowship that is witnessed in the church of 
Christ, and can be found nowhere else. That so it may be, is often 
the secret intercession of my soul ; and may I salute thee as a brother, 
or rather as a father, in the living fellowship that may remain without 
end! 

I desire affectionately to be remembered to all thy dear family, as if 
named, and, as far as there is opportunity, to all our dear Friends ; tell 
them it is my desire they may not be too much cast down at the pros- 



396 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

pect that is before them, for He that is with them, and in them, is 
greater than all them that are without. 

I remain thy sincere friend, 

Ezra Comfort. 

from ann jones to j. w. 

Stockport, 31st of 5th mo., 1845. 

MY DEAR AFFLICTED FRIEND AND BROTHER IN THE BONDS AND TRIBULATIONS OF 
THE GOSFEL OF CHRIST JESUS, OUR LORD, 

" Be of good cheer, it is I, he not afraid," is a language which hath 
repeatedly presented to my mind, of latter days, when thinking of thee, 
and especially since I have had the opportunity of reading and re- 
flecting upon thy book — "The Narrative and Exposition." I have 
no doubt but it will be extensively read, and have a tendency to 
open the eyes of many in this country and yours. For a time, it 
seems to me, it will be something like leaven operating secretly 
here ; the high ones will be much opposed to it, and the rulers and 
present leaders of the people will hush things up and cry peace as 
long as they can, but a shaking must take place. The "stone cut 
out of the mountain without hands " will, in the appointed time, 
break in pieces the great image. The feet (the foundation) of the 
system, which is, at best, but partly strong and partly broken, and 
is not composed of materials that will adhere and unite, will be struck 
and broken, when the whole structure must come down. But when, or 
how long before this time may come, or how widely the desolation may 
extend, through the unfaithfulness of those who ought to have come up 
to the help of the Lord against the mighty, it is not for us to say. The 
" Exposition " being got out into circulation, will be a relief to thee. 
Thou wilt feel, I doubt not, as thy letter to G. C. bears testimony, 
sweet peace and rest to thy troubled spirit, in having done what thou 
couldst ; and I hope thou wilt be favored to leave the result to Him 
whose the cause is, and who, in his own good time, will arise for the 
help and deliverance of his oppressed seed and people. Truly we 
have need of patience, that, after having done the Divine will, we may 
receive the promise. It would be very pleasant to me to hear of thy 
health, and thy dear wife's also, being good, for your years ; but 
whether bodily health be your portion or not, I have no doubt but the 
Comforter will be very near to comfort you in all your afflictions, in 
every hour of conflict and proving, to the end of your weary pilgrim- 
age ; and, in the end, that an entrance will be abundantly administered 
to each of you, into the everlasting kingdom of holiness and peace, 
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom, with God, the 
Father, be honor and glory forevermore — amen ! 



LETTER FROM JOHN HARRISON. 397 

Thy dear daughter, Phebe Foster's long and deeply interesting let- 
ter of the 28th of 9th mo. last, I received on the loth of 10th mo. 
Had less infirmity and more ability been allotted for the employ, in- 
clination has not been wanting to write to thee and to her ; but I have 
had a long, dreary winter season since that day, outwardly and men- 
tally. Perhaps, if the watch had been more steadily maintained, I 
might have had more sensible enjoyment of heavenly good ; though I 
daily feel that I am a partaker of many temporal and spiritual bless- 
ings, far beyond my deserts. 

My mind, or spirit, has frequently visited thee, and thy dear family 
and faithful Friends in your Yearly Meeting, who are made willing, 
through love to the blessed Master, to endure suffering and reproaches 



Whether I write to thee or thine again or not, is of little importance. 
May the Lord, in his tender mercy, keep us in his holy care and keep- 
ing, from all the power of the enemy, and, in the end, grant us the 
victory over all our soul's enemies, through living faith in the all-con- 
quering power of his well-beloved Son, our holy Redeemer, to whom, 
with the Father, belong glory and honor, thanksgiving and praise. 

In the bonds and fellowship of the gospel of peace, farewell. 

Ann Jones. 



FROM JOHN HARRISON TO J. W. 

Manchester, 7th mo., 1st, 1845. 

MY DEAR FRIEND JOHN WILBUR, 

Thy volume of proceedings has been delivered to me by an unknown 
hand, with my name written on one of the blank pages, apparently in 
thy handwriting. If thou art the sender thereof, I am much obliged 
for thy valuable present; and still more do I feel myself indebted for 
thy lucid, valiant exposure of those errors and doings which have too 
long been a burden to many honest Friends. Oh, it is a fearful thing 
to fall into the hands of the living God, and an awful consideration to 
forsake his most holy Word, to deny his ever blessed, living, eternal 
Truth, by attempting to reduce the same into a dead letter, or in any 
way to deny the Lord's Christ. 

I remember many years ago, when Beaconism, in a smouldering 
state, had almost stultified the energies of our large meeting, and three 
of us — comparatively strangers in it and to one another — had to contest 
the whole body on subjects of vital importance ; we perceiving, before 
many others, that there was at work a deep, secret scheme to under- 
34 



S98 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

mine and subvert the true doctrines of Quakerism, under the specious 
pretence of avoiding the dangerous errors of Hicksism, and of evan- 
gelizing the whole town and neighborhood ! I well remember, with 
unfeigned thankfulness, the coming forth of thy valuable "Letters," 
just at the right juncture, when they were most required to strengthen 
our doubting minds and to confirm the secret feelings by which we 
were made very sensible, not only of our own unworthiness and ina- 
bility to move rightly in our own wisdom and strength, but that the 
head and heart amongst us were sadly sick. By thy pamphlet, ad- 
dressed to my cousin George Crosfield of Liverpool, our vision was 
cleared to see that as you in America had, through un watchfulness, 
glided off the right foundation on one side, even so we in this country 
were gradually slipping from it in an opposite direction — both being 
the cunning, cruel work of Abaddon. You were all for Christ within, 
to the neglect of the great sacrifice whereby we are put into a capacity 
to be saved, and a slighting of the history as recorded in the Scriptures 
of Truth, which were also disparaged by you ; we, for " Christ without " 
and the history, not caring much about the mystery of religion, so that 
we could exalt the letter high enough, even above the Spirit which 
gave forth the Scriptures most surely to be believed. Hence, the king- 
dom of Christ becoming divided in both instances, the enemy gained 
his point. 

* * * i^y personal presence in Manchester did not help us 
much. The ruling powers of the synagogue took special care to keep 
us crushed ones in the background, out of sight, and to check anything 
like an attempt to speak feelingly with ministers and strangers, whom 
they hoped to win. But thy " Letters " effected what these doctors 
denied ; and terribly they were vexed at them. 

Since that memorable period, what a change has come over the 
scene ! The doctors, where are they ? Ministers, elders, overseers, 
members — numbering about one hundred grown persons, the wealth and 
flower of our spacious meeting — have all broken off, professedly on 
religious grounds ; and yet our number, six hundred odd, never seems 
to have been diminished in consequence of the separation ! The se- 
ceders, where are they now ? alas ! many are in their graves ! Some 
are scattered as sheep having no shepherd, wandering hither and 
thither like goats upon the mountains, but none have returned to us. 
Their beautiful chapel in Grosvenor street, costing £4000, has lately 
been sold to the Baptists for £2000; all are scattered, even their 
high-sounding name, " Evangelical Friends," has become extinct ; and 
they are not a people now, if ever they were a people distinct from 
others. 

* * * Finding that Beaconism in principle, though not then in 



LETTER FROM JOHN HARRISON. 

name, had taken deep root in the hidden soil, and was rancorous in 
spirit against us, we often said one to another, in the depths of our sorrow, 
" Oh, that mine adversary would write a book," when lo ! the Beacon 
came forth, and many who had been blind before could then see ; but 
others continue blind and perverse to this day, and I believe in their 
hearts and minds have adopted the same ism, but beginning with a G. 

I have read every syllable of thy book, and am affected to find that 
men calling themselves Christians, nay, highly-professing Christians of 
our name, should so far forget themselves and the rules of common 
respectability as to descend, as they have done, into those acts of injus- 
tice and intolerance which should shame a heathen to commit. I am 
lending the work to all my acquaintance who can appreciate it, and 
on one of the fly leaves I have written the following inscription, 
viz: — 

" John Wilbur and his book. — The New Englanders may attempt a 
reply to this volume. They may, and most likely will, put forth a vin- 
dication of their conduct, and try to neutralize the statements made by 
this dear persecuted Friend and able minister of the gospel. One 
thing they cannot accomplish. Do what they will, they cannot disturb 
the great groundwork, the structure and superstructure of the case. 
They can as easily change the skin of the Ethiopian, as alter the com- 
plexion of, and make sound the unsound doctrines of Joseph John 
Gurney, as they are palpably manifest in his writings. 

" This is my strong conviction on the perusal of this most interesting, 
extraordinary, and highly important volume coupled with my previous 
knowledge of the works of J. J. G. J. H. 6th mo., 2d, 1845." 

I consider thy separation grievous and extremely unjust, but I reckon 
its importance to thyself of small moment compared with the effect it 
will have in a Society point of view. I consider the act as a lawless, 
reckless dash at the principle which unites us ; and all true Friends 
are concerned therein. If one member suffer, then do all the living 
members and the living body suffer also. Distance, rank, estimation 
in the world, cannot destroy the sympathy of the members and of the 
body, so long as Christ continues to be the head of his true church, 
which he ever will. 

Wishing thee well in the true acceptation of the term, I subscribe 
myself thy very affectionate friend, John Harrison. 



400 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

FROM CROUDSON TUNSTALL TO J. W. 

West Nantwich, Cheshire, 9th mo., 24th, 1845. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

A long time has elapsed since I received thy acceptable reply to my 
letter, which brought me, and others of thy friends here to whom I 
showed it (most of whom, although personally unknown to thee, are 
thy friends in the bonds of the gospel) into near sympathy with thee in 
thy deep trials and provings ; and although I have not replied sooner, 
we have not abated in interest for thy welfare, and in ardent desires 
that thy divine Master might see meet to cover thy head in the 
day of battle, and bring thee safely through, with uncompromised in- 
tegrity in his cause — and humbly thankful to the most merciful Omnip- 
otent are thy friends here, (all of them, so far as I know,) that he has 
been pleased to grant their desire sooner and more fully than they had 
looked for. 

I esteemed it very kind of thee to send me a copy of thy " Narra- 
tive." It came to hand the day before I left home for our Yearly Meet- 
ing and I took it with me, and read a considerable portion of it while 
travelling, and it was a great comfort to me to find thereby, that thou 
and thy co-sufferers had been strengthened to undergo your trials, and 
unjust deprivations, in a good degree of that Christian spirit, which, 
alone can conquer without having cause of regret. The " Narrative " 
opens up such a continuous scene of persecution and injustice, as I 
should have thought it impossible for any members of our Society, in 
their individual capacity, to carry forward ; but when we see it carried 
on by a committee of a large body of the Society, and sanctioned by 
that body, it is really appalling ; and reminds one of the lamentation 
of the prophet Isaiah over the Lord's people, or those whom he had 
chosen for his people, if they had kept his commandments : " Judg- 
ment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off; for truth 
is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter ; yea, truth faileth, and he 
that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey." ****** 

A circumstance occurred during Yearly Meeting time, which I may 
mention. I called to see a minister residing in the vicinity of London, 
favorably disposed to J. J. Gurney, where I met several other ministers 
and elders, and the conversation turned upon the proceedings of Friends 
in New England in thy case ; when the Friend of the house expressed her 
sorrow for the disagreement, and said that she " had thought John Wil- 
bur would not have given his friends so much trouble." I recommended 
to them to suspend their judgment until they knew more of the facts of 
the case. I said / was satisfied that John Wilbur was a very persecuted 
man, and that the New England superior meetings, and their commit- 



LETTER FROM EZRA COMFORT. 401 

tees had broken through the rules of the Society, towards both him and 
his Monthly Meeting, as would soon be known by a statement of facts 
which was published, and already received in England. The Friend 
of the house replied that she was sorry to hear that any such book was 
published ; I told her it was needful, to show the truth, and that those 
New England meetings must disprove the statements in that book, be- 
fore they could establish their own credit. 

****** These dividings and scatterings 

(the work of the wily adversary) in our Society, are cause of deep 
proving, but, if brethren will depart from what we have found to be 
the right way of the Lord, it will not do to go with them, although we 
may be left as the " three hundred " of the " Thirty-two thousand ; " 
yet, if our hearts are true to the Captain of our salvation, there is no 
cause for dismay. * * * * 

Thy affectionate friend, 

Croudson Tdnstall. 



FROM EZRA COMFORT TO J. W. 

Whitemarsh, 8th mo., 22d, 1845. 

MY DEAR FRIEND JOHN WILBUR, 

I think I can truly address thee as such in the fellowship of suffering. 
I have just received and read what the Gurneyite Yearly Meeting call 
a statement of facts, in which they endeavor to cover and screen them- 
selves from blame, but by this endeavor they greatly expose themselves, 
by showing their profession and conduct to be inconsistent and irrecon- 
cilable with each other. By their history of facts as they would call it, 
they charge thee with being the whole cause of all the disorders and 
difficulty amongst them, and that it has all grown out of thy indulging 
in a spirit of detraction, (just as I was falsely charged,) but when they 
come to show wherein thou hast offended in this respect, they 
show by their proceedings it has all grown out of thy declaring the 
doctrinal views of J. J. Gurney as published by himself to be unsound, 
and by doing so thou hast injured his character and hurt his services as 
a minister of the Society of Friends, for which they have dealt with 
and disowned thee, at the same time denying that this is what they have 
disowned thee for. Then they go about to justify and cover themselves 
under the certificate granted J. J. G. by London Yearly Meeting, 
thus tacitly acknowledging they will receive and unite with a minister 
whom they know to be unsound, if he carry such a certificate with him ; 
but if any should venture to say the views he has written and published 
himself, are unsound, let them be ever so much so, it is the highest 
grade of detraction, contrary to discipline and long established order, 
34* 



402 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

and sufficient ground to disown them upon. Thus, whilst endeavor- 
ing to justify their inconsistency, and the base persecution they have 
been guilty of, they have not considered that they are condemning Lon- 
don Yearly Meeting in the case 6f Hannah Barnard, and Philadelphia 
Yearly Meeting in the case of Elias Hicks, but they take the same course 
against sound Friends, and justify themselves in the very same way 
that the Hicksites did with us, pretending to support good order, whilst 
they were openly and barefacedly committing disorder, and shamelessly 
and falsely charging sound Friends, that were supporting the order of 
the Society, with committing disorder — thus abundantly manifesting 
that they make lies their refuge, — and we find by the history that has 
been preserved by the Society from its earliest period, that when indi- 
viduals or bodies have joined with those who were once in the Truth 
and were favored instruments while they kept in it, but who have apos- 
tatized, and departed from their first principles, it has been wonderfully 
remarkable how these have all pursued the same course and have made 
lies their refuge. But oh, it was awfully shocking to me, after reading 
their so-called statement of facts, to come to their pretended declara- 
tion of faith, and then to see the monstrous absurdity of a body profess- 
ing to be a Yearly Meeting of the Society of Friends, giving J. J. 
Gurney a certificate expressive of its full unity with him as a sound 
minister of our religious Society ; while yet the leading members of that 
body knew that the sentiments he had published to the world, were at 
variance with, and in direct opposition to the doctrinal views of our early 
Friends, and were the sole cause of uneasiness amongst them. This 
being the case, they must unite with his unsound sentiments — then, in 
order to screen themselves from the imputation of unsoundness, they 
have issued a false declaration, — a solemn declaration that they own 
and believe in doctrines which they know to be at variance with and 
totally in opposition to those held and published by that man. 

*-.*:•• * A way I think was marvellously 

opened for you to come out from amongst them; and may all the praise 
be ascribed to Him who alone is able to control all things according to 
his own will. I think you have abundant cause further to trust in the 
Arm of his divine power for future help. We understand there is a 
deputation coming over from London Yearly Meeting to settle dif- 
ficulties amongst us — a high-handed, unprecedented and uncalled for 
step. I hope Friends will be aware of them — the unsoundness of their 
members has been the cause of our difficulties. Is it likely they will 
make things better by coming here, unless divine Providence turn 
their efforts into a blessing ? He can control the designs of our ene- 
mies and make them a blessing to us, which I hope will be done, as we 
keep our eye single to our divine Leader. I received very encourag- 



LETTER FROM EZRA COMFORT. 403 

ing and acceptable letters from Friends of Fall River and Nantucket, 
giving an account of your proceedings at your Yearly Meeting and at 
Sandwich Quarter. It has been truly grateful to my feelings that you 
have been favored to stand firm. I have no doubt the course you have 
taken, is right, and that you have embraced the right openings, and my 
dear friend, how thankful I feel that thou art restored to thy rights and 
can mingle again with thy dear friends in the bosom of the church. It 
has often been my secret intercession that thou mightest live to see it. 
Great and many have been and yet remain to be the burdens which 
the upright in the Lord's house will have to bear, and few to bear 
them. No doubt thou, with myself, when viewing the mournful state 
of things, hast been ready to intercede as the prophet did, when under 
the juniper tree, " Take away now my life, oh Lord, for I am not better 
than my fathers." Ah, these fathers he alluded to had been taken 
away from all their afflictions and had entered into their everlasting 
rest. But may we continue, striving to keep in the everlasting patience, 
and be favored to possess our souls in it until the Judge of all the earth 
says " it is enough," and stretches out his hand of eternal power over 
the oppressors of his Israel, and by his judgments, brings forth his 
people out of this furnace of affliction. He will, in his own time, ac- 
complish it, and I marvel not if the child is born who will live to see 
better times than any now living have yet seen ; and may he hasten 
the work he is about to do in the earth, even if it is by his awful judg- 
ments, to bring that day forth when the Lamb shall reign over all, and 
give his followers the victory. 

Things at present look but gloomy with us. Everything that comes 
from the Gurneyites with you, is eagerly sought for and circulated by 
many with us, and by some of whom we might have thought better 
things ; yet we believe the eyes of some are opening, of latter times, to 
see things as they really are. We understand Rowland Green was 
advised, even by some of his friends about Burlington, to return home, 
and we hear he did so. Poor things, they will have a very hard path 
to tread, whilst they continue to pursue the course they have taken, by 
endeavoring to clear themselves of what they know they are justly 
charged with, and to confirm the charges they have heaped upon the 
innocent, which they know to be false. Whilst I view them in this 
condition, my mind is often brought into very solemn and awful feelings 
on their account. Condemnation must surely waken up in their souls at 
times, showing them, by the light, the condition they stand in, but they 
see no way of getting out of it with honor, as they term it. Ah, that 
is devilish honor, that when we have committed a fault, we should com- 
mit another in order to hide the first, thereby to save our honor. But 
oh, what will the end be ! May these pause before it is too late, saith 
my soul, for opportunity will not always be granted. 



404 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

Since writing the above I have read John Pease's address to Friends 
in America, and was forcibly struck with his inconsistent views. He 
professed whilst with us, to walk between the two parties, as he called 
them, but I think in writing his address, he has openly put his foot into 
Gurneyism. He acknowledges us to be in a mixed state, then he warns 
us to beware of holding the Truth in parts ; yet he says, " Take away one 
stone from the perfect arch and the whole structure will fall." Then 
he states that in his travels he heard of false doctrines, and departures 
from the Christian views of our forefathers, and acknowledges that there 
may be slight shades of difference, or a little dissonance of views, in the 
sentiments of many sincere and valuable Friends, but which ought not to 
destroy the harmony of the body ; and declares he sees nothing that 
calls for a division. He does not, however, tell us what the slight de- 
partures from the testimonies of our forefathers are, but falls to railing 
against some for bearing their testimonies against these departures, when 
at the same time he acknowledges a departure from them is like taking 
a key-stone from an arch, that will occasion its fall. Such, and many 
more are his irreconcilable inconsistencies. 

With much love to thee, thy family and all thy dear suffering friends 
as if named, I remain thy friend, Ezra Comfort. 



FROM J. W. TO EZRA COMFORT. 

Hopkinton, the 21st of 10th mo., 1845. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

Taking a view of our Society at large, and of its lapsed condition, 
great is the cause of mourning and lamentation, and, comparatively 
speaking, the number few who lay it to heart in that deep anguish of 
soul which the Lord's prophet Jeremiah felt, when his people had so 
generally despised, and departed from the covenant which the God of 
their fathers, in the aboundings of his mercy and favor towards them, 
had made with them in order that they might be a city of excellency 
among the nations ; in order that his great and holy name might be 
honored and glorified, by the pitching and establishing of his sanctuary, 
at least in and among one of the tribes of the inhabitants of the earth ; 
intending that the law should go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord 
from Jerusalem. He on his own part, fulfilled every tittle of that cove- 
nant of gracious promises unto them ; yea, and abundantly more than he 
promised did he do for that people, by watching over them continually ; 
and as often as he saw in them a disposition to depart from the testi- 
monies of that covenant, he called unto them, he reproved them, and 
in great mercy invited them, and when they would not hear, he chas- 



LETTER FROM ANN JONES. 405- 

tised them ; and finally their revoltings were so grievous in his sight, 
that he suffered their enemies to carry them away into captivity, to 
break down the walls of Jerusalem, and to burn her gates with fire, and 
to profane his holy sanctuary in the midst of her ! And the stones 
which pertained to its excellency to be poured out in the top of every 
street ! 

For these things the prophet wept, his eye ran down with water, be- 
cause the Comforter was far from him, because his people had become 
desolate, and the enemy had prevailed ! But still there was a remnant 
left, there were a few of the poor of the land, who were not carried 
away to Babylon ; comparably as many, perhaps, as are left in New 
England ; but oh ! that it might not fare with these as it did with those 
— that these may not go away into Egypt ! To avoid which, the keep- 
ing of his covenant is now as essential for this little remnant, as it was 
in those days when Israel was brought out of Egypt ; as it was for 
that little remnant of the Lord's chosen, in George Fox's time ; for then 
the Devil came in on every side, and was the most effectual in his de- 
vices where least expected, bringing trouble into the camp of that little 
army whom the Lord had enlisted and banded together, to stand against 
the multitude of the mighty. When Israel was delivered from Pha- 
raoh and his army, and had reached the shore of their deliverance 
from him, then they praised the Lord in songs of thanksgiving, not 
apparently thinking but their troubles were over ; not aware that 
as it related to themselves and their needful preparation, through the 
Lord's judgments, for the accomplishment of that which he intended, 
that the work was as yet but begun. And touching this little army 
that has been mercifully delivered here in New England, from the cruel 
hands of their enemies, by the stretching out of the Lord's arm, and 
for which thanksgiving and praise are due to his great and ever blessed 
Name, yet some of us rejoice but with trembling, lest, through the un- 
sanctified condition of some who escaped with us, and the enmity of 
Satan, the testimony should not be exalted and honored, as our holy 
Leader designs it should be. * * * * * 

Thy friend, 

John Wilbur. 



FROM ANN JONES TO J. W. 

Stockport, 1st mo., 22d, 1846. 

MY DEAR AGED AND AFFLICTED FRIEND AND BROTHER, JOHN WILBUR, 

Thine of 7th mo., 14th, was mine on the 30th. Its contents awak- 
ened afresh the feeling of near and tender sympathy with thee, thy 
wife and family, in the great and sudden loss of thy dear son, but I 



406 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

trust that through redeeming mercy and loving-kindness, your loss is 
his eternal gain. 

The Yearly Meetings having passed over as they have done, must 
necessarily have added to the discouragements and tribulations of the 
little struggling remnant in New England. But whilst the tearful, 
doubting, hesitating ones may be discouraged, it may have this good 
effect, to deter such as are not settled and established on the true foun- 
dation, from connecting themselves with you. I cannot believe that the 
sufferings of the faithful few, will be in vain, as regards our poor, be- 
wildered Society, and certainly not as regards themselves in the Divine 
sight. Notwithstanding the determination on the part of those who at 
present bear rule, in many of the Yearly Meetings, to cry " peace," to 
keep all quiet and preserve the " harmony," he who brought this 
vine out of Egypt and Babylon, spiritually, still hath regard to the 
living plant of his own right-hand planting, and will no doubt succor, 
defend, and preserve the stock alive in the root, though it may be for a 
time apparently trodden down by the wild boar of the forest. 

Ah ! what a degenerate, backsliding, worldly-minded, worldly-blinded 
people we must have become, before the ancient Truth and testimonies 
given us to bear could be thus slighted, and turned from, and a coun- 
terfeit, plausible and specious enough in its outside appearance, sub- 
stituted for the real thing. What is it, short of putting darkness for 
light, and light for darkness — thus to forsake the ancient standard, and 
substitute one in its stead that has not the Lord's stamp upon it. Sor- 
rowful indeed is the reflection, that our Yearly Meeting, the first that 
was gathered, should be, (or its present leaders and rulers.) among 
the foremost to encourage that which has not its origin, its foundation, 
in the ever blessed and unchangeable Truth ; and yet, like other apos- 
tate churches, be willing to lay claim to the appellation of " mother 
church." Alas ! for the day. Well may the mourners in Zion cry, 
" Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach." 
Great are the efforts that are making with the busy, worldly-wise ones 
with you and us, to bind up, and heal, and cry " peace." They may 
be permitted for wise purposes, unseen, unknown to us, to prevail for 
a time, and the oppressed little ones, who have no'strength of their 
own, may have to cry " Oh, Lord, how long ? " but when he sees meet 
to take unto him his great power, and show himself strong for his op- 
pressed people, this daubing with untempered mortar, and crying 
" peace," where there is no peace, will be seen to have been healing 
the hurt of the daughter of Zion slightly, deceitfully. 

Hast thou Isaac Pennington's works ? or hast thou read his 
description of Babylon ? Alas ! how many are taking up their rest 
there, and flattering themselves that they are inhabitants of Zion ! 



LETTER FROM ANN JONES. 407 

But the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and discover their 
works. 

I have thought much of the little company in New England, who are 
set for the defence of the gospel, and desire their encouragement to 
faithfulness in whatever is clearly manifested as their duty to do, or 
to leave undone ; and can but hope that before the Yearly Meetings 
come round again, many will be induced to read the statements and 
declarations put forth by the smaller body, and be favored with clear 
discernment as to their individual duty. In our Yearly Meeting there 
are many secret mourners, many who are going heavily on their way 
because of the oppression of the enemy. The great revealer, time, 
will show whether any way will open for their relief at our next annual 
assembly. One thing is certain, man is not his own keeper, and those 
who have so far cast off the yoke and burst the bonds, as to yield them- 
selves to the government of their own human wisdom, are likely to go fur- 
ther than they intended, and to commit themselves in a way they did not 
foresee ; and whilst digging a pit for others, may fall into it. Any in- 
formation which thou or any of thy family incline to hand to me of your 
proceedings, will be acceptable. I have not heard of late anything 
respecting the movements of the English deputation, now on your side 
of the water. I can but think the one who visited America some years 
since must now and then feel himself in a strait place. I remember 
his saying to me when he was young, that I. Pennington's writings 
were like life to his life. Were it so now, would he, could he be where 
he is ? I believe we must have a great shaking ; that an awful storm 
is impending over our poor, desolated, and once peaceful Society. Much 
of the eighth chapter of Isaiah seems to me to apply to our present 
state, "Associate yourselves and ye shall be broken in pieces," &c. 

There are many arrows in the sacred quiver, and as Sarah Grubb 
said very significantly in our Yearly Meeting of ministers and elders, 
in the beginning of Beaconism, " The Almighty did not send an army 
against the builders of Babel to destroy them, but he confounded their 
language ; they could not understand one another. And thus I believe 
it will yet be with the wise Babel builders ; whilst to the despised and 
suffering little ones, the language is in full force, '* Ye have need of 
patience, that after having done the Divine will, ye may receive the 
promises.' " 

If my life and memory be lengthened until the Yearly Meetings 
come round, I shall be deeply interested in hearing what transpires at 
each one. The blessed Head of his church may see meet to open and 
prepare the way for the deliverance of his oppressed seed and people, 
sooner than at present seems likely. But to hold fast that which we 
have received, that no man take our crown, seems to be nearly enough 



408 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

for some of us, daily feeling that it is good both to hope and quietly 
wait " for the salvation of God." I am one of the poor and needy — 
remember me for good, when thou art favored with access to the throne 
of grace. Accept my love very affectionately, thyself, wife and chil- 
dren, and your faithful, tribulated friends. Dost thou hear from E. 
Hunt of late ? She is so intimate with H. C. B., who is so interwoven 
with, or wrapped up in her cousin J. J. G., that one cannot look for 
much like genuine Quakerism in that quarter. 

Thy sympathizing friend, 
Ann Jones. 



FKOM L. A. BAECLAT TO J. W. 

Reigate, Surrey, 4th mo., 28th, 1846. 

MY DEAR AND VALUED FRIEND, 

* * * There is a sad kind of infatuation attend- 

ant upon the generality, and carefully fomented and cherished, that 
thou and thy friends are in a wrong spirit, and therefore it is better not 
to touch any of your books, nor to investigate the matter in the least, 
lest they should be defiled. But I am glad there is an honest remnant, 
even among the younger sort, who cannot sit down and thus swallow 
the opinions of others, but must feel and see for themselves ; but these 
are but a few compared with the multitude who have loved other 
lovers (than the blessed Truth) and after them will they choose to go, 
loving ease to the flesh ! And now, my endeared friend and elder 
brother, I have sorrowful news to convey to thee in the decease of that 
faithful, valiant, and dignified servant of the Lord, dear Ann Jones, 
who departed this life on the 14th of this month ; but though painful 
to us to lose her, it is her everlasting gain, and cause for rejoicing on 
her account. She had been declining for several months, but was pre- 
served clear and bright to the last, and the last words she was heard 
to utter were, (only twenty minutes before the close,) " Bring the chal- 
cedony, and the precious stones." She testified to several friends who 
went to see her during the last ten days, her unshaken belief in, and 
cleaving to our ancient gospel principles and testimonies, and said that 
if ever she had done anything that was right in her life, it had been 
to uphold them, and to expose that which would mar them ; that, never- 
theless, she had nothing to boast of, and was sensible she was a very 
unprofitable servant, and had fallen very short of what she ought to 
have been, but her whole trust and confidence was in the love and 
mercy of God in Christ Jesus, with more that I cannot recollect, evinc- 
ing much deep humility, yet peaceful hope. I felt constrained to give 
the last token of near and dear love and unity, by attending the inter- 



LETTER FROM EZRA COMFORT. 409 

ment last week, (though 220 miles off;) it was a mournful time to the 
large gathering then assembled from various parts, but worse than 
all, it was a painful time from the deluge of words in the mixture, 
which now troubles us, go almost where we will ! One of her last acts 
was to revise the tract " Is it Calumny, or, is it Truth ? " and to con- 
tribute towards its spreading by post generally. ******* 

My breathings are poured forth for such in tender sympathy, and how 
sweet is the remembrance of poor Hagar's language for these solitary 

and afflicted ones, " Thou God seest me ! " The dear wish 

their love to thee, I expect will write soon — they share in thy 

letters to me always. I am pleased to say they seem deepening in 

best feeling of late, to my great comfort, especially . But 

alas ! for poor H , worse and worse ! 0, I expect we shall be 

still more and more called to sacrifice and lose all that is very near to 
our affectionate feelings, even the unity, and favor, and esteem of those 
who are very dear to us, but he that loveth aught more than Christ 
is not worthy of him, and I desire to be endued yet more and more 
with Paul's noble spirit, who counted all but as dross and loss if so be 
he might win Christ and be found in him. Farewell, my dear friend, 
in near and dear love. * ***** 

I remain thy affectionate friend, 

Ltdia A. Barclay. 

P. S. — Our coming Yearly Meeting looks and feels very awful, 
so that the prospect thereof weighs down some of our poor weak 
bodies. The Lord help his poor oppressed ones, for if he help us 
not whence can we be helped ; it is in vain to look to the hills and 
the mountains, but the true-hearted Israel may hope in him forever. 
Breathe for our help, dear exercised friends ! Benj. Seebohm is likely 
to be liberated to visit your land, but he will not come amongst you. 
Oh, the compassing of sea and land, and the deluging of words now 
amongst us, but those who preach in the mixture can do no other than 
minister to the mixture and baptize into the mixture, and thus the evil 
disease, by the linsey-woolsey garment, is increased, and alas ! is not 
the enemy's kingdom thereby promoted ? 

FROM EZRA COMFORT TO J. W. 

Whitemarsh, 8th mo., 12th, 1846. 

MY DEAR FRIEND AND BROTHER, JOHN WILBUR, 

Not having for a long time received any communication from thee, 

and feeling a continued flow of Christian fellowship towards thee, I feel 

inclined to pen a few lines, although it is a time, with me, of much 

weakness, both of body and mind. My bodily health has long been on 

35 



410 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

the decline, and my mind often much borne doAvn and depressed, on 
account of that degenerating and apostatizing spirit, spreading amongst 
us ; and at the same time, these very manifest apostates hypocritically 
profess to unite with the doctrines of our worthy predecessors ; and 
when we point out to them their attempt to change and set at naught 
our ancient doctrines and testimonies, as is easily proved by their own 
writings, they declare that doctrines have nothing to do with the divis- 
ion and disunity that prevails throughout the Society, but that it has 
all originated with a few individuals in New England, who for their 
disorderly conduct have been justly disowned. When the subject of 
these unsound books, written by members, was before our Meeting for 
Sufferings, they were declared, by a large portion of the meeting, to 
be very unsound, Avhile their supporters declared they knew of no such 
books ; then it was asked, what greater evidence we could have than 
was before us, that we, even the members of that meeting, did not 
see alike, as regards the fundamental doctrines of the Society. Then 
one of the radicals cried out, they were charged with being unsound. 
Another of them confessed that there were such books, and that he 
had no unity with them, yet violently opposed our taking any notice 
of them, saying they were not the cause of the disunity, but it was on 
account of disciplinary proceedings. Thus, thou may see, we have 
the very same deceptive spirit to contend with, which you have in 
New England. But oh, my dear friend, I am afraid, from what has 
appeared, that these open opposers will not be the worst, with 
whom we shall have to contend, but that it will be some of those who 
fill the most conspicuous stations, and have had great influence in our 
Yearly Meeting, and who joined their friends in declaring to our friends 
in Old England, that the disunity and separation in our Society in this 
land, was on account of unsoundness in doctrines published by some 
of their members occupying high stations in Society, but who now, for 
some cause unknown to me, are not willing to hold up the same testi- 
mony to our Friends at large, neither are they willing to own you as 
brethren in Christian fellowship with us ; but of late, are trying to find 
some fault against you in some of your proceedings, which I fear is 
spreading an influence against you without a cause; and of course, 
against some of us who have borne an open testimony of unity with 
you and your proceedings. I am unable to find out, even by convers- 
ing with them, what the object is at which they are aiming, unless it 
is a hope that some way will open to bring about a compromise with- 
out any further separation, which they seem greatly to fear ; but my 
testimony to them is that a separation has taken place in the very 
fundamental ground of our Christian faith ; and this being the case, the 
sooner we are separated from each other in profession the better, for 



LETTEE FROM EZRA COMFORT. 411 

the very ground of true unity is broken up. Truly it may be said, 
" How has the gold become dim, and the most fine gold changed ! " 
Some of those who stood firm against Hicksism are now giving their 
strength to Gurneyism, which I think is a no less departure from the 
Truth. They are now charging some of us with a fiery zeal which will 
be the means of driving many from us, saying that we must exercise 
patience and forbearance ; and latterly are charging Friends with having 
acted under too much fiery zeal in the time of Hicksism, which was a 
cause of driving away many from us. Thus they have entirely changed 
their views, to my knowledge ; at that time their sentiments were with 
my own, which were, and remain to be that, had there been a more 
early and faithful zeal maintained, to put their feet upon the neck of 
that spirit of infidelity, it then would have been the saving of many ; 
and surely if, when G-urney first came out with his anti-christian 
publications, Friends had borne a firm and unflinching testimony 
against them, there would then have been a very different state of 
things from what there is now ; and it does appear to me, that unless 
there is a great change in some, our greatest suffering will arise from 
a quarter, in time past the least suspected. When we look ahead, the 
prospect to some of us looks very gloomy ; yet if it is permitted that 
we shall be closely tried and sifted, may we not hope that, after all the 
reprobate silver is clean removed out of Zion, it may shine with its 
ancient brightness ! Therefore let us hope that all things will work 
together for good. My very soul's desire for my dear Friends in New 
England is, that they may abide in the patience and not look too much 
out to other bodies, but look to our holy Head. If this continues to be 
the case, I am sometimes ready to think that, with all your trials and 
weakness, (which are despised by some,) there may yet be found more 
strength within your limits than within ours ; although by some among 
us, ours has been much boasted of. I understand a member of our 
city has requested thee to return to him all the letters he has written 
to thee. What does it mean ? Does he suppose thou art a changed 
man, or is he a changed man ? What is he afraid of? If he has writ- 
ten to thee what he continues to believe are sound truths, why is he 
afraid they should be made use of? If he has changed his views, then 
he has cause to fear he may one day be exposed. If thou hast com- 
plied with his request, I would query whether it would not be right for 
thee to demand those thou hast written him in time past in confidence, 
showing that the course he has pursued has shaken thy confidence in 
him ; if thou hast not returned his, I would have thee think seriously 
about it before doing so. There may something arise out of it in future 
that may be of serious moment.* 

* The request here spoken of was for the destruction of the letters alluded to, and 
not for their return. It -was not, however, complied with. 



412 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

Since writing the above, I have heard some propositions held up, of 
your coming together, by one of our city members. These were for 
the Gurneyites to throw down the hatchet, restore John Wilbur to all 
the rights he had before he was disowned, &c, and then for you to 
return to them again. This shows where some of our leading members 
stand. If such a step should be taken, what would become of the noble 
and dignified testimony which you have borne against that apostatizing 
spirit that is spreading amongst us ? and does it not show that those 
who hold up these ideas have no testimony against it ? Nay, assuredly 
you will never be caught in such a snare ; for some of your lives have 
been in the Truth, and in its righteous testimonies, and you have suf- 
fered deeply for them ; can any feeling mind suppose, for a moment, 
that you have become so lost to any sense of good, as to leave the 
Truth and those who stand in it, and join in fellowship with the 
apostates ? 

Thus, my dear friend, I have written a little of the feeling exercise 
of my mind, believing thou canst sympathize and feel with me. Please 
write soon, and give me some information as to how you are getting 
along. I am much with you in spirit, which I trust is the case with 
you concerning our welfare, seeing the precious Truth that is near and 
dear to us, is one. Please receive my best love, which I trust is in 
the heavenly fellowship, with thy dear wife and tender offspring, and 
I wish to be remembered to all my dear friends with you, as oppor- 
tunity may offer, and when we are favored to approach the throne of 
Divine mercy, may our remembrance of each other be mutual. 
So I rest, I trust, in that which changeth not, 

Thy friend and brother, 

Ezra Comfort. 



FROM J. W. TO NATHAN DOUGLAS. 

Portland, 9th mo., 8th, 1846. 

MY DEAR FRIEND NATHAN DOUGLAS, 

Since being in these parts I have felt a strong attraction towards 
thee, out of Avhich has grown a desire to see thee, and I have been 
nearly on the point of setting out to go to thy house, but recollecting 
that Falmouth Quarterly Meeting would be convened about this time, 
and that more probably thyself and other Friends whom I had a desire 
to see may have gone thither, I changed my mind from going, to the 
expedient of writing thee. Thou wilt readily recollect thy own consci- 
entious uneasiness- with the doctrines of J. J. Gurney, and the senti- 
ment that their direct tendency was to sap and lay waste the doctrines 
of Friends, and with what fervency thou exhorted me to be encouraged 



LETTER TO NATHAN DOUGLAS. 413 

to hold fast and keep good the stand which I had taken against those 
doctrines. This testimony of thine was truly comforting and strengthen- 
ing to my tried and afflicted spirit. Knowing that it was taken in the 
integrity of my heart, and fully satisfied also that such a stand against 
the danger that awaited the church was in Truth's direction, I could 
no more be persuaded to abandon the upholding of our principles and 
testimonies, nor to refrain from witnessing against those of a contrary 
tendency, than could George Fox and other Friends in his day. And 
the day had again come in which the principles of Friends could no 
more be sustained without controverting their opposites, than they could 
in his time ; and the necessity was now the more imperious, by reason 
that the advocates of defective sentiments had sprung up from among 
ourselves — from amongst the great and the influential, and men who had 
great power over the general mass of our Society, as foretold by Mary 
Peisley ; a condition similar to that of the church in the third and 
fourth centuries. Then it was that the mighty influence and power of 
the great men in the church prevailed over, and put to silence such men 
as thou and I. Their concern was of almost infinite importance for 
the saving of the church from the grievous apostasy that ensued, and 
so by the overcoming of such concern for her safety, the best body, 
as we may well believe, that ever existed, was compelled to receive 
such doctrines and conform to such practices as destroyed all but 
the name of a Christian church, and so these new doctrines that 
are now offered to the church under our name and which are already 
subscribed to by the whole Gurney party in England and increasingly 
so in America, will have as direct a tendency to bring us into an 
apostate condition ; yes, and without some miraculous interposition of 
Almighty Power, the whole body of those who continue to support the 
Gurney party, must as surely fall into an apostate condition as did the 
primitive Christians. 

Some of the leaders of the Gurney party in the eastern Quarters 
have within a few days acknowledged to me their full unity with J. J. 
Gurney ; and I was told by an apparently honest man among them, 
that he hears no fault found with him by any of the Friends with whom 
he is acquainted in Fairfield Quarter. And perhaps thou knowest that 
George Jones's and Thomas Shillitoe's testimonies are that J. J. G.'s 
principles are nearer to those of other professors, than to Friends, and 
that this opinion is candidly corroborated by Ralph Wardlaw and other 
eminent writers out of our Society. And if thou hast read the writings 
of J. J. G. generally, thy own knowledge of Friends' principles, and abil- 
ity to draw a contrast will plainly show thee the utter inconsistency of 
many of his doctrines with those of Friends. And I suppose also, thou 
knowest that the leaders of our Yearly Meeting and their adherents 
35 * 



414 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

have overrun in a most flagrant and disorderly manner the bounds and 
landmarks of our discipline, and the order of Society rather than not 
sustain the man and his doctrines, by prostrating the dearest rights of 
many of those who could not with peace of mind compromise their 
principles, nor forbear to testify against such things as tend to their 
overthrow. Thou knowest too, I apprehend, that these leaders among 
us caused J. J. G.'s credentials to be indorsed in our Yearly Meeting, 
and have also subscribed to a written document in which they defend 
him with great earnestness, and allude to him as a duly accredited and 
fully authenticated minister of the Society of Friends. Nor canst thou 
be a stranger to the cautions, exertions, and injunctions that are 
pressed upon their members at large, against reading or receiving any 
books, documents, papers, or letters, that will expose or bring to light 
their faith in false doctrines or their disorderly and cruel proceedings, 
as above alluded to. And yet thou, even thou, my dear Nathan, art 
claimed by them, as I understand, to be one of their number, and now 
consenting to, if not approving of their proceedings, and therefore mak- 
ing thyself responsible for those measures to which they have resorted. 
But, my dear friend, I am not yet prepared to believe that thou hast 
given thyself up to indorse such unhallowed proceedings and persecu- 
tions against honest and conscientious Friends, who dare not run to do 
evil, though it were with a great multitude, but would rather sit alone 
and be silent at the feet of their divine Master ; or arise and fight 
single-handed under his banner as their lot may be ordered of him. 
Oh ! remember there was one among that little number that were 
called martyrs, whose zeal might perhaps have exceeded his knowl- 
edge, and who, in order to obtain credence with the great body, did, 
in an unguarded hour, and through human weakness, subscribe to a 
recantation of his course in support of pure Christianity ! But, alas, 
his peace with his God was destroyed, nor could he with all the sagacity 
he was master of, mend up that great breach of conscience so deadly to 
good enjoyment until he returned to his former course of bearing wit- 
ness against the enormities of the church, — the body. Nor could the 
plaudit of bishops or cardinals in commendation of his recantation, 
restore his troubled soul with peace to God, until he again resumed his 
integrity and renewed his testimony against the errors of the church ; 
then he died at the stake with great peace, glorifying that God who 
had thus restored him to his allegiance to him. 

I charge thee, therefore, beloved, by the mercies of the Lord, to 
return to a full acknowledgment of thy allegiance to the glorious and 
dignified testimonies of Truth, and never to give thy strength in any 
way to that spirit which cometh from the wilderness, and would 
little by little corrupt and destroy the heritage of God, at the same 



LETTEE TO WILLIAM HODGSON, JE. 415 

time pleading for unity and harmony of concert in the most plausible 
manner. But alas, alas, for a unity of many in the promotion of a cause 
which is not of the Lord, and which tendeth to the gainsaying and per- 
verting of the doctrines of the gospel ! It is a saying that cannot be 
refuted, that the greater the number, and the more noted the men that 
are united in supporting errors in the church, the greater the harm 
and danger which awaits the Lord's cause, for thereby the innocent 
ones up and down among the people are the more strongly bound to 
the hierarchy, and to the usurpation of those that have placed them- 
selves in Moses' seat, but are not of the Lord's anointing ; the exposure 
of whom, simply in Truth's direction and according to knowledge, can 
never hurt the oil or the wine, nor yet break the true unity in the love of 
Christ, which is a blessed attribute going hand in hand with that judg- 
ment which purifieth the heart of man, and delivers his church and 
people from all the delusions of the wicked one. Hence the agree- 
ment of all the Divine attributes, among which is the light of the Sun 
of Righteousness, which driveth away all darkness and shineth most 
gloriously in the firmament of God's kingdom, — to which I commend 
thee, my dear friend, with my own soul, so that nothing pertaining to 
our own good and to the good of this people may be hid from our 
eyes. Farewell. 

John Wilbur. 



FROM J. W. TO WILLIAM HODGSON, JR. 

Hopkinton, 9th mo., 29th, 1846. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

* * * Thou wast not mistaken in thy apprehensions of my feel- 
ings when I wrote thee from Salem ; not having forgotten the bitterness 
of the baptisms of which it was our lot to drink largely last year, I could 
not promise myself a great measure of consolation in going over the 
same ground again ; yet the conflict was not now altogether so deeply 
painful as then. Inasmuch as the members of our Society down in 
that northeastern country have been so entirely excluded from the true 
knowledge of the great question in controversy whereby our Society 
has been torn to pieces, a considerable portion of my concern was, that 
they and their sober neighbors might be apprised of our concern for 
their good and for the sustaining of our primitive doctrines and testi- 
monies ; feeling sometimes not altogether unlike the Psalmist, when 
he " desired of the Lord to show him a token for good, that his ene- 
mies might see it and be ashamed." We were desirous of showing 
them that we would be glad to meet with them, and hear their objec- 
tions, if any they had, against us or our proceedings ; and they were 



416 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

in divers instances notified to this effect ; but still they were kept as 
much as possible from us, yet the knowledge of our willingness to meet 
with them on friendly ground, we believed would have some effect on 
them and their neighbors, when they had more time to reflect upon 
it. Our aim was to have meetings in neighborhoods convenient for 
most Friends to attend, if disposed to do so. Our first meeting was in 
the town-hall at Waterville, a large place on the Kennebec ; and when 
agreed upon, and whilst our notices were printing, we went seven miles 
to Fairfield, to see Zaccheus Borman, an honest old minister of eighty- 
four, but under the current of an influence against us, and easily tram- 
melled by reason of his credulity and stationary abode. He seemed 
rather shut up at first, but pretty soon became open and familiar, and 
said, in conversing a little upon my case, that justice was due to all men ; 
and we left him enjoying pretty good feelings. On our return to "Water- 
ville, we met with Charles Coffin, a prominent preacher of the same 
neighborhood, with whom we had much conversation, in the presence 
of several respectable men ; but he seemed unable to maintain any one 
point in their case, and was much confounded. A man present after- 
wards expressed astonishment at their efforts to keep the knowledge of 
the case from their people. Charles, however, said he would come to 
our meeting the next day, and bring a book that would prove their cause 
to be good, and we encouraged his coming ; but he came not. How- 
ever, our being at Fairfield, and giving notice of our meeting, brought 
down the postmaster and his wife, from Charles's own neighborhood ; 
she being somewhat connected with Friends. After meeting they 
came to us, and informed that they had seen in their office the " Con- 
siderations," and had read it a little before it was called for. They 
were now very desirous of possessing a copy, which was soon sent 
them. At the close of this meeting at Waterville, many inquiries 
were made, touching our case — two lawyers and many other people of 
note being present. Our next meeting was at North Vassalborough, in 
the neighborhood of John D. Lang and two brothers-in-law, where our 
notices were set up in their factory village. These notices were taken 
down — by whom it is not known — and the people were told that our 
meeting had fallen through ; but as many as we had accommodations for 
came, and a truly interesting meeting we had, greatly to my satisfaction, 
and I believe to all present ; after which, to satisfy the desires of the 
people, our case was briefly unfolded, and many applications were made 
for books, — more than we could supply. Here we saw the want of the 
" Considerations," and the Answer to " Calumny Refuted ; " the latter 
have now gone that way. Our next meeting was at the house of our 
friends, D. and A. Howland, their mother and children, the only firm 
Friends in that quarter ; although a few others whom we visited told us 



LETTER TO WILLIAM HODGSON, JR. 417 

that they had no unity with the Gurneyites, but not yet strong enough 
to make a stand against them. This last was also a favored meeting, 
and I believe very strengthening to those dear Friends ; to which, be- 
side other people, came two young Gurneyites. Our next appointment 
was at Augusta, in a basement story ; but a great funeral assemblage 
in the room above us, held at the same hour, unknown to the man who 
made the appointment for us, occcasioned so much interruption that 
no meeting for worship was held ; but a number of respectable people 
gathered to us for the purpose of information, among whom was a 
member of the Society, of about sixty, a very moderate, solid man, who 
said he had never had any information but on one side ; asked many 
questions of deep import, and seemed no less surprised than gratified 
with the answers ; but the claims of others so interrupted him there, 
that he went with us to the inn, and had much conversation with us 
that night, and came in again next morning. I gave him three copies 
of my book, and as many of the " Address of R. I. Quarterly Meeting," 
to distribute and read himself, of which he was glad. Another sensible, 
elderly man here took great interest in our case, and said he had been 
convinced of our principles, but by reason of the bad examples and 
evident declension of Friends thereaway from their first principles, had 
been deterred from becoming a member. He was also very glad of a 
book. He understands our principles very well, and will see by the con- 
trast that Gurney is no Quaker. After this we had two meetings 
within Falmouth Quarter, both good, solid meetings, but no Gurneyites 
came. However, we felt quite a freedom, and desiring also to show 
our good-will to all, we called on many Gurneyite families, so called 
because they claim them, but some of them without a cause, — they are 
merely held in bondage. Among these we saw some joyful counte- 
nances on seeing us, and we were glad to see them, for whose deliver- 
ance my travail and concern is intense. But there were a few instances, 
and but few, that we met with, where any bitterness was apparent ; 
nevertheless there are many among the ministers and elders, and among 
the more elderly sort of the people, whose hearts are sadly leavened 
with the same spirit that leavened the hearts of the chief priests and 
Pharisees, which is hypocrisy, joined with malice ; and but for these, 
many innocent ones might be made to see the things which belong to 
their peace, although now they seem to be hid from their eyes, by 
reason of these dark bodies standing between them and the life of Him 
who is the light of men. Oh ! the condemnation that awaits these who 
have so vilely cast away the shield which the Lord had given them, 
and are found darkening counsel among the Lord's people. Unless 
they speedily repent of their deeds, in turning the innocent away from 
the fold of the true Shepherd, he will expose them, and reject them 



418 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

forever ! May they be favored to find a place of true repentance ere 
it be too late ! Thus, in brotherly freedom, have I ventured, my dear 
friend, to give thee a little of the outlines of my late arduous journey, 
which, though not extensive, was yet trying ; and although sometimes 
I took condemnation to myself, in an apprehension that better I might 
have done, yet through infinite mercy and unmerited goodness when 
the service was accomplished, we came on our way rejoicing ; not on 
account of the prosperity of the cause in that eastern country, but 
because our little service was rewarded with sweet peace. 

I ought to have told thee, in its proper course, something about 
the Quarterly Meeting at Berwick, but I understand that our .dear 
friends from thence stopped a day in Philadelphia, who would probably 
tell you that their Quarterly Meeting got along nearly as last year, 
and that it was believed that we lost no ground this year. After leav- 
ing Berwick, I attended two meetings at Elliot, before going further 
east. To these went with me William and Elizabeth Hill, and on my 
journey further east I had the company and kind assistance of my 
beloved friend, Jonathan Nichols, of Salem. 

I will just say that among the trying services to which I believed I 
was called, was the visiting of two backsliders, one at Windham, and 
the other at Danvers. Of the latter I have little or no hope, but still 
feel satisfied and even glad that I went ; if she must needs go away, 
even into perdition, the Truth I believe will be clear. 

Some of my views on the state of things in your land, and further 
west, I wrote to my dear friend, Ezra Comfort, a few days ago, as also 
what concerns us more than what Friends do abroad, or omit doing, in 
relation to us. Oh ! if all of our little number could but be induced to 
seek counsel at the door of the tabernacle, on the bended knees of truly 
contrited souls, we should have no occasion for fearfulness about who 
would acknowledge fellowship with us abroad ; for then we should have 
better help than man, or of a body of men. My wife and I are in 
usual health, and join in love to thee and wife. 
Thy affectionate friend, 

John Wilbur. 



FROM JOHN HARRISON TO J. W. 

Manchester, England, 10th mo., 3d, 1846. 

MY DEAR FRIEXD JOHN WILBUR, 

In looking round the length and breadth of our Society, both in your 
land and ours, I can at present see little else than mourning and weep- 
ing in store for those who are sincerely desirous that faithfulness to our 
religious principles and testimonies should be abode in ; saying in the 



LETTER FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY. 419 

heartfelt language of supplication, " Spare thy people, oh ! Lord, and 
give not thy heritage to reproach ! " Still the Lord's ear is not grown 
heavy that it cannot hear. And he is the same almighty and merciful 
Saviour as ever he was ; otherwise some might droop into despair. 

I was at our last Yearly Meeting with my friend Caleb Haworth 
and one or two besides. I endeavored to raise my voice on several 
occasions in favor of the smaller body in New England. Our efforts 
were neutralized in as civil a way as the leaders knew how without 
manifesting the appearance of unfairness which we well know cannot 
be openly tolerated in England as it is in America. Our efforts were 
seemingly crushed under the quiet pressure of ponderous influence ; 
but we have some reason to hope one here and another there has 
secretly imbibed impressions which may remain and deepen in his 
mind. It proved a very trying season to some of us, not because John 
Wilbur was involved in the question, not because a small knot of 
suffering, persecuted, faithful Friends were implicated and cast down, 
but because it vitally concerned the great and all-important question of 
our religious principles and testimonies for the Truth's sake, by which 
multitudes of souls might be affected. The " larger body " of New 
England Friends (so called) has its powerful advocacy in this country 
at present, and I suppose for purposes we cannot scrutinize, must be 
permitted to rule and reign to a certain extent for a season. But that 
such can ultimately stand I have no expectation. 

Believe me as ever thy sincerely affectionate friend, 

John Harrison. 



FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY TO J. W. 

Reigate, Surrey, 27th of 1st mo., 1847. 

MY DEAR AND VALUED FRIEND, 

What wilt thou say to me for my long silence? Truly thou hast not 
been out of my mind, or my heart, though so long neglected, especially 
since my return from my northern journey at the end of 9th month. I 
have seemed often with thee mentally; and the end of the 10th month, 
I received thy last very kind and acceptable letter, which renewed the 
feeling of dear love, and unity, and sympathy toward thee. Ah ! dear 
friend, I unite with thee in thy sense of the many eyes that are 
upon you, and in the desire for your preservation in the true faith, and 
in a holy walk with God, manifested by maintaining a true Christian 
warfare against all unrighteousness and the spirit of the world, as is 
expressed in thy letter. And I tenderly sympathize with thee, and 
all the living among you, under your many burdens and trials, by those 
who seem to be of you, but who evidently have not gone through that 



420 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

deep baptism which brings into the true unity, and consequently into 
an union of lively exercise together, for the upholding of the pure testi- 
mony of Truth. May you, dear burden-bearers, be sustained under 
these trials, as well as strengthened to spare no tender and faithful deal- 
ing for their help, and bringing into a true feeling and laboring with 
you ; and if you cannot, by patient exercise and fervent prayer, be 
instrumental to their help, then may you be enabled, in the love, and 
authority, and melting power of" Truth, faithfully to testify against 
them, for the saving of other members, and, if possible, for the reach- 
ing of the witness in those to their ultimate recovery, at some time or 
other ! Thus will you be clear, and the Holy One will be glorified. 
***** j was vei y mucn interested in thy account of your 
travels, and of the serious inquirers you met with, and hope your labors 
have been blessed, to the enlightening and reaching of many, although 
they have been sadly reported of here, as " stirring up strife, and pro- 
moting unsavory meetings for discussion," so that I have, in some in- 
stances, thought well to give a little of thy own account where I could 
suitably, that such vile reports might be frustrated ; for I conceive you 
were doing what our early Friends would have done towards testifying 
faithfully for the Truth and against error and evil. I think that one 
Friend (who has been your way) spoke very disparagingly of thy com- 
panion, and also of thee. But, dear friend, the burden will be heavy 
upon such false reporters, in a day that is coming ! May you be pre- 
served low in the divine fear, then fear not what is said. * * * 

I hear the funeral [of J. J. Gurney] was very showy and large, and 
that the bishop of Norwich preached a funeral sermon at the cathedral ; 
does not this show that they were hand in hand and one in spirit, and 
that there could not have been that faithful testimony against priest- 
craft which all the true professors and possessors of the Truth must 
ever bear ? His death has caused a sort of shock ; but he has left many 
children, in one sense, who will carry on his views in shifting us from 
Quakerism to Episcopalianism ! So that there is no other expectation 
for the poor tribulated remnant of those who cleave to the ancient prin- 
ciples, but of continued and increased suffering ; and oh ! that they 
may be preserved firm on the blessed Rock of Ages, and united one 
unto another in him, and then, however they may be proved, and 
have to suffer with, and for him, they will be sustained through all, 
and eventually reign with him, and partake of his glorious victory 
overall. ******** 

And now, my dear friend, I would inform thee of what I hear dear 
Eachel Richman has given thee a hint of already, namely, that I have 
had it for several years on my mind, to remove to Aberdeen, in the 
land of my forefathers ! I have gone through much in relation to 



LETTER FROM CHRISTOPHER HEALY. 421 

such an important step, as thou would'st suppose, all nature would rise 
up to oppose it, the leaving of all that are near and dear to me, whether 
in a natural or spiritual connection, and the going into such a northern 
climate for my delicate health, and where there are not the comforts 
and conveniences that I have been accustomed to, besides also the low 
state of things there, and many trials and very few fellow-feelers, all 
combine to discourage the step ! I was not without the thought that 
perhaps my going there last summer, and tarrying there a month, and 
laboring as enabled, might prove a substitute for so trying a sacrifice ; 
but no ! the matter was so cleared and confirmed while there, and even 
the very outward difficulties smoothed down, in some degree, that I 
found I must yield all up ; and now I stand resigned to go, with my 
little all, the end of the fourth month or early in the fifth month next, 
feeling at present excused from the Yearly Meeting. * * * * 
I would gratefully acknowledge that goodness and mercy were with me 
during my late exercising journey, sustaining, helping and preserving 
me from day to day, which is, indeed, ever to be had in humble remem- 
brance by me, and I desire that, in the renewed sense thereof, I may 
be enabled to thank God, and afresh to take courage to humbly hope 
for more, even more still of his goodness and mercy to support and 
prepare me for the further duties and trials that may await me in this 
vale of tears and scene of probation ! And, dear friend, do thou crave 
for me, that I may be strengthened to fulfil whatever may be in store 
for me in my new abode ; whether in doing or suffering ; and that wit- 
nessing preservation from every snare of the insidious enemy, I may be 
fitted, in due time, for the heavenly kingdom, by the grace of God, in 
and through Christ Jesus. ******! f e el greatly for you, 
in being cut off from the visits of the faithful, at present, but hope you 
will have patience till your cause is pleaded, and your righteousness 

brought forth as the morning and your judgment as the noonday. 

*********** 

With the salutation of dear love, I remain thy nearly united and 
sympathizing friend, Lydia A. Barclay. 

FROM CHRISTOPHER HEALY TO J. W. 

Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 2d of 6th mo., 1847. 

MY VERT DEAR AND MUCH BELOVED FRIEND, JOHN WILBUR, 

I received thy salutation of unfeigned love, a little while after our 
Yearly Meeting. It miscarried and got to Doylestown, and lay there 
a long time, but when I did receive it I was comforted, and rejoiced 
in spirit. May thou, my dear brother in the Truth, be comforted, and 
filled with joyful hope, for greater is He that is in thee, than he that is 
36 



422 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

in the world ; this thou hast clearly proved, by thy great suffering, for 
thy divine Master's and the church's sake. May he be pleased to 
make bare his holy arm of power, for thy health, both in spirituals and 
temporals. I have often thought of thy dear bosom friend, how she 
must be tried as well as thee, in that long and sore warfare. May our 
blessed Helper be very near to strengthen you to bear up, now in your 
old age. I have divers times read thy " Narrative " as well as some 
other accounts, and I thought nothing short of Divine power could 
have carried thee so remarkably through. Thou hast heard by this 
time, I suppose, that our Yearly Meeting this year, condemned the 
unsound writings of Joseph John Gurney, and also of Edward Ash, 
and the document after our next Meeting for Sufferings, will be pub- 
lished. 

I was taken sick last 8th month, and have not yet recovered, so as to 
be able to write but very poorly ; my nervous system being so affected. 
This is the first writing since my sickness, but my health is middling 
good otherwise, and that of my family. 

Oh ! my dear brother, this is a sifting time to the members of our 
Society. I have believed our poor Society will yet be sifted as wheat 
is sifted in a sieve, for it is declared, " I will overturn, overturn, 
overturn, saith the Lord, until he shall come whose right it is to rule 
and reign." Our Israel is too much mixed among the people of the 
world. The language of my soul is, come out from among them, 
and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will save 
you. Now my dear brother in the gospel of the dear Son of God, be 
not discouraged at these trying times, for Zion cannot come forth out of 
the wilderness of this world, clear as the sun, fair as the moon, and 
terrible as an army with banners, leaning also on her Beloved, until she 
shall arise and shake herself from the dust of the earth, and put on her 
beautiful garments, then she will arise with Him who is the Resurrec- 
tion and the Life, and because he is the bread of life, our souls shall 
live also. Oh ! that this blessed day might come to the church, then 
will judges be restored as at the first, and counsellors as at the begin- 
ning. I do believe this time will come, though a great falling away 
may take place first ; but my dear friend, a people, a favored remnant 
will be preserved of the true principle and name of Quakers. 

I know when I consider all the circumstances connected with the 
case, that thou mayest sometimes in thy poor soul say, Israel has 
almost forsaken the Lord, but my dear friend, remember the answer of 
the Lord was to him in the still small voice, I have reserved seven 
thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal, nor kissed his image. 
I believe thou hast said many times under thy deep troubles, as Jacob 
of old said concerning his dear son Joseph, " Joseph is a fruitful bough, 



LETTER FROM EZRA COMFORT. 423 

even a fruitful bough by a well, whose branches run over the wall ; the 
archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him ; but 
his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong, 
by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob ; from thence is the shep- 
herd, the stone of Israel." These things thou hast largely experienced, 
and they will be sanctified to thee for thy salvation, and if thou shouldst 
not see the desires of thy soul in this world, if thou keepest the word 
of his patience, through this tribulated scene, thou wilt witness being 
kept in the hour of temptation, and, by and by, when thou art gathered 
among the just of all generations, to shine forth as the sun in the king- 
dom of our heavenly Father, then wilt thou receive thy blessed reward, 
and thy joy will be full, and no man will take thy crown, because thou 
hast labored and not fainted. 

So now, my dear brother, farewell, in the love of the gospel of our 
Lord Jesus Christ. My dear wife sends her love to thee, and thy dear 
wife and family. James and Jane Moon also send their love to thee, 
and so would many more, did they know of this freedom. In the great 
satisfaction and love which for many years we have had together, and 
for each other, the remembrance of which now rejoices my heart, I 
take my leave, and remain thy affectionate friend, 

Christopher Healy. 



FROM EZRA COMFORT TO J. "W. 

Whitemarsh, 4th mo., 9th, 1847. 

MY DEAR AND MUCH ESTEEMED FRIEND, JOHN WILBUR, 

I received thy truly acceptable letter shortly after date. In reading 
thy travail and exercise for the prosperty of the church I did sym- 
pathize and unite in fellow-feeling with thee, not doubting that thy divine 
Master put thee forth, and went before, in that arduous service thou 
gave me some account of in thy last letter. However trying such ser- 
vices may be, and bitter the cups we may have to drink of, yet as we 
are faithful to the divine requiring, there is a sure and heavenly re- 
ward granted unto us, that the enemies of Truth know nothing of, 
neither can they deprive us of it. It does appear to me, and increas- 
ingly so of latter time, that there can be nothing said or done that will 
stop or check the torrent of apostasy, until we are closely sifted out of 
the mass of corruption that is in our once favored Society. I am ready 
to conclude that it is permitted, if not ordered, that good may come of 
it. In the state we are in, how could we be as a city, or as a light set 
on a hill, while there is so much darkness and corruption. Oh, it ap- 
pears to me the Lord has taken the work into his own hands, that he 
will separate the chaff from the wheat, and the chaff he will drive as 



424 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

with the wind from the summer threshing-floor. It appears to me that 
this dispensation through which we are passing, will be more trying than 
any which our Society has passed through. I am ready to say, may it 
have its perfect work, that the precious may become thoroughly sepa- 
rated from the vile ; and the remnant that will be left of the sanctified 
and redeemed, who will have passed through many and deep tribula- 
tions, and kept as in the hollow of the Lord's hand, will they not be 
in his own time (which is the best time) raised up as on the top of the 
mountains and exalted above the hills of all empty professions, that 
the visited souls may once more look upon our Zion, without seeing 

cause of stumbling, and may thereby be induced to flock unto it ? 

*********** 

Some of us sympathize deeply with you ; the living members every- 
where feel the need of all the comfort they can get. I feel as if I am 
unable to write much. My love and affection remains unchanged 
towards you, and I hope it stands in that which can never be broken. 
Please remember me to thy dear wife and all your children, as if 
named. Thou art a brother and fellow-sufferer I trust, for the testi- 
mony of Jesus, and art abundantly in my remembrance. Please en- 
courage our friends with you, to keep and possess their souls in the 
everlasting patience of the saints ; tell them the Lord's work is going 
on, and will be carried on to his own glory, and to the everlasting 
peace of his faithful children. 

Thy friend, Ezra Comfort. 

FROM J. W. TO SAMUEL TUKE. 

Hopkinton, 10 mo., 1847. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

The present and future condition and standing of our religious 
Society generally, will be acknowledged by all who are well-wishers to 
the cause of primitive Quakerism, to be a subject of the deepest con- 
sideration and highest concernment to all who are making profession of 
the blessed Truth. 

My mind has been of late peculiarly attracted towards my dear 
friends on your side of the water ; accompanied with the like feelings 
which drew me to your shores more than sixteen years ago. 

This gospel love in the covenant of life and peace, extending espec- 
ially towards all who are sincere in seeking for a blessed inheritance, 
has not been diminished by a personal knowledge, and acquaintance 
with so many in that land ; among whom there are not a few, brought 
near, in the longing desires with which I am sometimes favored in the 
aboundings of the Lord's mercies. Nor has the lapse of time which 



LETTER TO SAMUEL TUKE. 425 

has since passed away and brought me so much nearer to the ter- 
mination of all things here, and a hoped-for inheritance in a better 
world, had any tendency to lessen in my heart the love of God, or 
fervent desire for the happiness and well-being of all my fellow-profes- 
sors in your land. 

In this view of things, my mind has of late been unexpectedly turned 
towards thee, with an intimation that it would be right to introduce a 
little conversation with thee in relation to the state of things and their 
probable result touching the continuation and preservation of our Society 
at large in the same faith as at the beginning. And it would seem that 
I could hardly have any occasion to say to thee, that the subject of sus- 
taining a correct faith in our doctrine, is so serious in its nature and 
tendency, as to involve the great question which relates to the saving 
or losing of our immortal souls ; and imperiously calls for the avoiding 
of all equivocation and evasion, and the adoption of a sincere and in- 
genuous confession of all that we do believe and are intending to main- 
tain, in any way relating to the salvation of man, by and through the 
coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the ministration of his 
gospel, as it relates to all that he has done for man without him, and 
all that he has done, and is doing for him, within him, — principles fairly 
and fully included in the summary of Friends' doctrine. And it sumceth 
me, on this head, satisfactorily to ascertain that a member of the Society 
unequivocally believes in them, and makes no secret reserve. But if he 
profess the faith of Friends, and at the same time, is either secretly or 
openly allowing or supporting views that are repugnant to our doctrine, 
or is upholding the authors of them ; he cannot be rightfully acknowl- 
edged a true Quaker, not yet a sincere follower of Christ. Far better 
would be my opinion of one who comes out openly and ingenuously, 
and says, he thinks there are errors in Friends' confession of faith, and 
stands ready to point them out, and defend his own. 

I am persuaded, my dear friend, that thy understanding of doctrinal 
subjects is clear and discriminating, and as I trust, thou art so con- 
scientious, that none could induce thee to yield to the -opinion, that the 
modern views published in England, are in conformity with Friends' 
doctrine as relates to the Holy Scriptures, or their comparative stand- 
ing with the Holy Spirit, or with Friends' doctrine of the light of Christ 
in man, or induce thee to subscribe to those modern views on justifica- 
tion, imputed righteousness, &c, to or many others which might be 
named. But if in any of these particulars I am mistaken, and thy 
opinion should be, that Friends' original doctrines are susceptible of 
modification or improvement, it is my desire that thou would candidly 
inform me wherein. For I have full confidence in thy frankness and 
willingness to do so, if such be thy opinion. 
36 * 



426 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

We, of the smaller, though original Yearly Meeting in New England, 
(if the sustaining of the original doctrines entitles us to the appellation,) 
have not as yet seen it right for us to add a single item to the original 
doctrines of the Society ; nor yet to take so much from them, or to 
propose any change in them whatever. 

But my dear friend, if thou hast found, or if Friends in England as a 
body have found, in the opening of the light of Truth, that some change 
will contribute to the good of the Society, and to the honor of God, or 
to the promotion of righteousness in the earth, we stand open to be in- 
formed of it. And it is due to the whole Society to know in what and 
in how much your view of a change consisteth ; whether it be to adopt 
the doctrines of J. J. Gurney as they now are in the hands of Friends 
generally, (as by some presumed to be intended because none of them 
have been officially censured or condemned,) or whether to make other 
change. Thou wilt not, I hope think these interrogatories intrusive or 
frivolous, seeing as we learn, that London Yearly Meeting has received 
and approved a highly commendatory memorial of the author of those 
doctrines. And seeing too that it is a subject of the most serious impor- 
tance, what change, if any, or what system of doctrines London Yearly 
Meeting shall establish, not only on account of its own members but on 
account of the influence which it will have upon Friends of other 
Yearly Meetings. Surely Friends in England should not adopt a new 
system of doctrine or give any ground for fear on that account by 
declining to examine the modern doctrines and to contrast them with 
the ancient, without advising their American brethren of their inten- 
tions ; a matter of the utmost consequence, as the aspect of things now 
is in both countries. 

It has been reported that great unity was witnessed hi*London Yearly 
Meeting, but in those of Philadelphia and Ohio, great dissension, how- 
beit, some are disposed to ask if the same proposition for the examina- 
tion of the new doctrines had been made and enforced in the former as in 
the two latter, would the unity of the former have been undisturbed? 
But the value of unity is supposed to consist of the right of those 
things in which a body of people are united, and a dissension to be 
measured by the same rule. Howbeit, it appears that things which 
cause disunity in one body do not in another. And I would ask thee 
how can London, or any other Yearly Meeting continue their fellowship 
by a mutual correspondence with the larger body in New England, 
when it is publicly known that the latter has sanctioned the violation 
of moral principles as well as those of the Society, abused and per- 
verted its own discipline and the order of Friends in a manner so fully 
demonstrated to the Society at large. 

Thy sincere friend, John Wilbur. 



LETTER FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY. 427 



FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY TO J. W. 

Spital, Aberdeen, 11th mo., 1847. 
****** Is there not an uncommon backwardness and shrink- 
ing on the part of Pennsylvania Friends from coming to the point, which 
of the two Yearly Meetings in New England to recognize ? why did 
they not come to this point last Yearly Meeting, for I understood the 
matter was the previous year deferred till then with orders that the 
Meeting for Sufferings should in the mean time possess themselves of 
such facts and data as should assist the Yearly Meeting in coming to a 

right decision. I have put this question closely to my friend who 

is just returned from America but he avoids answering it ! I fear he 
too is smoothing over with the plaster of love or of lukewarmness ! 

****** In my last letter from dear Mary Anne Bayes she 
says in reference to thy letter, "Ah ! how cordial and touching was 
his true and tender sympathy to us who have to take a few steps in the 
tribulated path which dear J. W. has largely trodden and in which he 
has been strengthened to stand nobly for the testimony of Truth. When 
thou writest please to convey a message of dear love to him from us, 
and tell him we desire to be borne livingly in his remembrance for good, 
as he often is in ^ mine, and I hope the day may come when I shall 
write to him myself. I believe he feels and knows that if I have not 
yet done so, it is not because love has grown cold, not yet because we 
shrink from owning him and the good cause for which he is counted 
worthy to suffer." 

****** Oh ! the many snares, the sight and sense thereof 
makes one tremble for one's self — but the Lord's power is all sufficient to 
guide strengthen and preserve, and oh ! that I may be helped to keep 
thereto to the end ! I am here in an out-of-the-way corner, and hear 
not so much of what is going on amongst us, so I can't tell thee how 
the " Appeal " was received by the Meeting for Sufferings ; still, I trust 
I am not beyond the feeling and burden of things, and mourning is the 
covering of my mind, "and I see no way of escape for the tribulated 
remnant, except that I know there is nothing impossible with God ! 
The deplorable inconsistency amongst us as a people is very sad, the 
complete lowering of the standard of Truth, and often by such as 
ought to be high bearers of it, so that in some places it seems in vain 
for the faithful ones to lift up their voice, the overbearing flood is so 
mighty ; and to weep in secret and pour forth their cries to Him who is 
omnipotent and omniscient, is all they can do ! There is a sad wicked 
system of persecution of such as hold, and especially such as uphold 
publicly, the ancient principles at Leeds in Yorkshire, but as fast, 



428 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

nearly, as they silence one, another is raised up by the Divine power ! 
The same overbearing spirit reigns elsewhere and its plausible influence 
is most sad though not as yet carrying things to the same height. 
I remain thy affectionate friend, 

Ltdia A. Barclay. 



FROM MARGARET CROSFIELD TO J. W. 

Liverpool, 3d of 3d month, 1848. 

MY DEAR FRIEND JOHN WILBUR. 

I am but little able to reply to thy kind, sympathizing letter as it 
deserves ; but I am willing to attempt to send thee a few lines, that I 
may not appear entirely insensible to thy affectionate regard displayed 
towards a poor, sorrowful widow, feeble alike in body and mind. My 
dear husband's health had declined much these two years past, his 
strength was impaired by excessive bleeding from the nose, which was 
thought to relieve his head, the state of which had given us cause of 
alarm ; added to this in winter he was subject to bronchitis, which be- 
came chronic, and he was but little free from cough and laborious 
breathing ; but he went about though much enfeebled in body, looking 
pretty well in the face ; taking the Sulphur Water at Harrowgate often 
relieved him. He gradually declined from his accustomed activity ; but 
was always able to attend our various meetings, and diligent in helping 
therein. 

The first day but one before he left us, he seemed quite as well as 
usual ; we were both twice at meeting, but next morning he was poorly 
and kept his bed with what seemed a common cold ; in three days 
seemed better, then relapsed, and grew ever worse from that time not- 
withstanding all that skill, care, and love could do to keep him, for we 
were very sorry to part with him. His chief suffering arose from dif- 
ficulty of breathing which nothing could alleviate, and in ten days he 
passed from us, in great peace and resignation, perfectly clear to the 
last minute. I was very ill of the same complaint, but strengthened to 
be with him at the last, that last that I feared to think upon, that I 
thought it impossible I could bear to see, I was helped through. I 
seemed in spirit to be with him, on the brink of Jordan, and felt noth- 
ing but comfort and peacefulness in seeing him pass quietly away, our 
three sons and daughter tenderly nursed him by night and by day ; to 
them, to me, and to many relations who came to see him, he addressed 
pertinent counsel. No, my dear friend, he never had at any time any 
doubts or misgivings as to the primitive doctrines of Friends, nor 
assimilated in any degree to those of a contrary tendency, and when- 
ever we conversed together on those subjects to the very last, it was 



LETTER FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY. 429 

with the continued conviction that the sentiments of our early Friends 
were of the Truth, reaching the witness in our own minds, and con- 
firmed by Scripture, and we never regretted for a moment having, how- 
ever feebly, endeavored to uphold the ancient testimonies and doctrines 
taught by Fox, Barclay, Penn, and other confessors of the Truth, nor of 
having published thy letters, which first let in a ray of light, upon what 
was acting and working underneath ; and that and thy company and 
labors preserved us and ours from being carried away from the Truth 
for which I am and shall always be truly thankful — not that we merited 
it, but of the Lord's goodness and mercy he preserved us from being 
shipwrecked on the rocks, or lost in what might be likened to a specious 
quagmire, full of fine dazzling appearances. I am still of the mind 
that in this land originated all the persecution that has followed thee, 
and that it is yet fostered in the same region. In our parlor at Mount 
Vernon threats were used to thee, which I dare say thou hast forgotten 
but I remember well, often pondering on those things, when I see the 
scattered, poor state of many who left-us, expecting to exalt themselves 
unto a church of renown. Many are gone very low back into the 
world, some settled into a dry form, all much under priestcraft, one way 
or another. 

****** My dear G. and I have passed through many pinch- 
ing things connected with these changes and troubles — met with much 
contempt and unkindness, even from some who seemed like bosom 
friends; we have encountered open reproach, and worse, the double 
tongue, but he freely forgave all ; we never were free to open much of 
this to thee knowing how great thy own burdens of this kind were, 
and wished not to add to them. ****** 
I remain thy sorrowful and afflicted friend, 

Margaret Crosfield. 



FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY TO J. W. 

Banchory, near Aberdeen, 3d mo., 11th, 1848. 

MY DEAR AND VALUED FRIEND, 

****** I am much obliged for thy explanation of how mat- 
ters are at Philadelphia ; it is exactly as I all along suspected ! it is 
these conservative ones who do so much harm both there and here- 
away. I would rather they came plumply out and showed their real 
side which is that of the new views in truth, though they think to put 
on an appearance of love to the ancient ones, and can therewith make 
a fair show in the flesh, which deceives even some whom one would 
think might see through them ! My dear friend, thou asks me to tell 



430 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

thee who are sound Friends here; there are so few, who are out and 
out, ancient in their feelings and faithful thereto, that a child alas •' 
may number them. The majority have modern views, or else these 
middle ones, as I have described ; and the generality are indifferent, 
caring for none of these things, so they can have plenty of agreeable 

My dear friend, I unite with thee, you have no need to be over care- 
ful in regard to being acknowledged by other Yearly Meetings ; the 
main thing is to seek to be preserved firm, on the alone sure and right 
Foundation, in humility and faithfulness, watching to keep your gar- 
ments so that ye may not be found naked — and then you will not fail 
to overcome evil with good, and " he that overcometh shall inherit all 
things, and I will be his God and he shall be my son " — and this truly 
is more than all the acknowledgments of men ! So I desire you may 
not faint nor yet grow slack, but be steadfast in the divine counsel, 
immovable in the divine fear ! always abounding in the work of the 
Lord ; forasmuch as ye know your labor shall never be in vain in the 
Lord, but established in his peace and blessing. Farewell, my dearly 
beloved friend, my dear love salutes thee and thine and all faithful 
Friends in your land in the Truth that is unchangeable ; in which I 
remain thy sympathizing and affectionate friend, 

Lydia A. Barclay. 



FROM J. W. TO ANN JONES, OF CHINA, MAINE. 

Hopkinton, 6th mo., 30th, 1848. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

Neither thy husband's solicitations for an interview, nor yet the 
manner in which he reprobated the course which I had taken, has given 
me any personal dislike, either towards him or towards thee ; but I can 
address either of you with the same freedom as ever ; however, I do 
lament the course which you appear to have been pursuing — so differ- 
ent from that which led me to warn the Society against the degenerat- 
ing doctrines which have been largely spread abroad among us. An 
obligation on my part in conformity with the injunction of our valuable 
discipline, and in accordance with a sense of duty ; and like the framers 
thereof, I saw, or thought I saw, great danger consequent upon the pro- 
mulgation of such views among our members. The discipline enjoins 
upon all our Quarterly and Monthly Meetings, as well as upon all 
faithful Friends, to warn all our members against the spreading, and 
consequently against the imbibing of unsound doctrines ; for which 
the reason is obvious — the same which had always induced honest 
Friends to endeavor to discourage and to put a stop to the circulation 



LETTER TO ANN JONES, OF MAINE. 431 

of unsound doctrines in the Society, and why ? Because they were 
dangerous to the safe standing of our members, and of the Society at 
large. 

But it seems that many of the larger Yearly Meetings do not so re- 
gard the discipline, and are of a different opinion from the Yearly 
Meeting which issued it, as well as from all our worthies, both ancient 
and modern — so careful and zealous in detecting and in giving a warn- 
ing voice against all unsound doctrine, tending to draw away our mem- 
bers from their allegiance to Friends' principles. If Josiah Jones's 
sentiments, when my letter, to which he alludes, was received in your 
neighborhood, were the same as they are now, in relation to such a 
question, there is no marvel that the letter was " unsavory " to him. 
Like the early Friends, it was my conscientious concern that all sen- 
timents which were contrary to the faith of Friends, should be testified 
against. But if it was Josiah's opinion that no one should say aught 
against such unsound sentiments, then I do not wonder at all that my 
letter to Eli and Sybil Jones was " unsavory " to him. But how does 
he relish Paul's testimony against advancing unsound doctrines, where 
he says, " But though we or an angel from heaven preach any other 
gospel unto you than that we have already received, let him be 
accursed." Did he not hereby enjoin upon the Galatians to condemn 
all those who advocated adverse doctrines, let them come from whence 
they may ? Whether a Paul or a Barnabas from other countries, or 
even an angel from heaven ? And did not the same apostle show that 
the difference of the savor consisted in the difference of the condition 
of those addressed, when he said that himself and those who were with 
him, were the savor of life unto life to some, and the savor of death 
unto death to others? And I do most sincerely desire that my friend 
Josiah may remain no longer in such a condition, as that an honest tes- 
timony against anti-quaker views will give him pain or be unsavory 
to him ; nor yet in such a state of mind, as that Paul's declaration to 
the Galatians, twice emphatically repeated, see chap. 1st, ver. 8 and 9, 
will be in any wise unpleasant to him ; nor yet the care and faithful 
measures taken by Philadelphia and Ohio Yearly Meetings, in doing as 
I have done, in testifying against the false doctrines which an enemy has 
caused to be poured forth, for the purpose of destroying the Lord's beau- 
tiful, ancient heritage, so dear to him, purchased with the blood of his 
son, our Lord, and with the blood of saints ! And how lamentable, indeed, 
that the enemy should have beguiled any of the once innocent lambs of 
the fold and flock of Christ, to consent to join hands with those who have 
enlisted in this work of grievous and general delusion in principle among 
the Lord's people ! Oh ! my dear friend, my heart yearns for thy pres- 
ervation, and my hands are lifted up to the God and Father of all our 



432 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

sure mercies, beseeching him that he would rescue thee and all the in- 
nocent ones from the paw of the devourer, by drawing you nearer and 
nearer unto himself, by gathering you out of the strife of tongues, unto 
his own holy, quiet and peaceful habitation, where the canopy of his 
love, goodness and power will be your protection and sure defence. 
Here, if it might be, through adorable mercy, thy happy lot to dwell, 
even the fiery darts of the enemy shall fall to the ground as at thy feet, 
and do thee no harm, and no creature shall be permitted to make thee 
afraid. Oh, then, my dear fellow-pilgrim for time, and fellow-heir for 
eternity, and for that joy which is unspeakable and full of glory: I 
beseech thee let no man take away thy crown, and suffer neither men 
nor angels to make thee believe that Truth is a delusion ; or that the 
way up to God's holy kingdom has been made wider than that in which 
our crucified Lord walked, and in which he required his disciples to 
follow him. The will of the flesh would have a wider path, and less 
rugged, but when our wills become sanctified, and by his baptizing 
power, are moulded into a perfect conformity to his will, then this nar- 
row way, in which our Lord himself and his disciples walked, becomes 
to us an easy, safe and pleasant path ; because in it we have the sweet 
and joyful company and guidance of Him whose glory filleth all things ? 
and whose wisdom in fitting our way to our condition, is wonderful, 
and whose condescending mercy and goodness in manifesting his will 
unto those who wait patiently on him, is admirable indeed. And his 
favors in guiding their steps aright, calls for our deepest thankfulness 
and humble prostration before him ; as well as a desire for walking in 
his holy fear, and in great watchfulness, lest through the false radiance 
of the fallen angel we should miss our way. But how can any expect 
to be favored with the living spring and life of the gospel ministry who 
give their strength to those who are laying waste this blessed faith of 
the inward and immediate revelation of God's will to men, by uphold- 
ing and defending those who have resorted to so many turnings and 
windings in order to weaken and dissipate our faith in this very doc- 
trine — I say how can such expect to preach the gospel by the revela- 
tion of Jesus Christ, or in the demonstration of the Spirit and with 
power ! How vain is the repetition of many words in our assemblies, 
(however good in themselves those words,) without the renewed anoint- 
ing ! 

If any profess to preach by the Spirit whilst they are upholding 
those who are preaching without it, such are dishonoring it, by exalting 
the letter above it. This is exceedingly reprehensible, because such 
are laying waste by their conduct that which they profess by words to 
be building up ! 

Thy namesake, that eminent and faithful handmaiden of the Lord, 



LETTER TO ANN JONES, OF MAINE. 433 

(in England,) Ann Jones, adhered firmly to our ancient principles to 
the last, and died in sweet peace with the Lord. She continued to 
write to me frequently as long as she remained in mutability, endeavor- 
ing to encourage and strengthen, not me only, but all the honest hearted. 
Her desires and prayers were unceasingly lifted up to the Lord that he 
would spare at least a remnant of his people, and give not his ivhole 
heritage to reproach. And so also the prayers of many servants of 
the Lord continue to be lifted up to Him whose ear is always open to 
hear the cries of his children ; and if they remain faithful to him, and 
to his testimonies, he will cause them to grow and to flourish as the 
green bay-tree that standeth beside the waters, which bringeth forth 
fruit in its season, and which will, I trust, as there is an abiding in his 
covenant, be to the praise of his ever great and excellent name. 

But on the other hand, however great the number among the tribes 
of Israel who depart from his statutes, and from his testimonies, if 
they will not hearken, but continue to despise or lightly esteem his 
covenant and prefer their own ways to his ways, and shut their eyes 
to the visions of light, as at this day, he will scatter them among the 
nations of the earth, and they shall be as other people. 

The name of the Lord is a strong tower — a mighty Rock, whereunto 
the righteous flee and find safety ; and those who gather to it and put 
their trust in him, whether they be few or many, he hath promised that 
he will in no wise cast off. He can increase the few and exalt the 
humble, and it is his delight to do so if they will love and serve him. 
He can scatter and diminish the proud and those who are lifted up, as 
well as the great multitude, who are trusting in their numbers, as he 
hath often done heretofore, as testified of in the Scriptures. 

But one thing is sure and unfailing. He will have regard to those 
who serve him faithfully, and love him unreservedly, and who fear 
him and tremble at his word ! What will avail the attempt of some of 
the Yearly Meetings to bring about a reconciliation or union of the 
whole body as they call it ? In what are they to be united ? In the 
views of J. J. Gurney ? or in the ancient Friends' doctrines ? If it be 
in the one it cannot be in the other ; for it is impossible to reconcile Gur- 
neyism with ancient Quakerism — if these are amalgamated together, it 
will be but a heterogeneous mass of absurdities. Let each of those 
Yearly Meetings which propose a coalition, first cleanse their own camp 
at home by faithfully purging out the leaven of unsoundness. Let 
them closely examine the new doctrines, and be willing, honestly and 
scrupulously to condemn and renounce all which are not in accordance 
with our ancient principles. And when all unsound doctrines, all un- 
wholesome and wrong practices are condemned and removed from the 
different Yearly Meetings, and all such persons also as will not forsake 
37 



434 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

the same, then what need of deputations to meet together for uniting 
on Christian ground ? When these impediments are removed the pur- 
pose will be accomplished. 

Gurney's doctrines have produced the disunity in the Society, and 
no way can be devised to restore a union in the Truth, short of a con- 
demnation of those doctrines. All attempts to conceal and hide them 
under a veil of the finest spun texture, or under the fairest possible 
profession of, or pretension to Quakerism, can never restore the body 
to health and soundness until Gurneyism is publicly condemned 
throughout the Society. 

The greater the number who are united in wrong opinions, the worse, 
because the evil is so much the more formidable. It is stated that no 
less than one hundred and sixteen millions of people are united in the 
idolatry and other atrocities of Popery, under the cloak of Christianity, 
and that there are one hundred millions of the Mohammedan religion. 
Gurneyism approximates towards Episcopalianism, and Episcopalianism 
towards Romanism. Happy and dignified was the advancement in 
coming out from Romanism up to Quakerism ; but lamentable indeed 
are the process and the consequences of returning again thither- 
ward. 

We have sufficient testimony to prove that the larger body have 
implicated themselves in the apostate doctrines of Gurney, for the 
more candid acknowledge themselves to be in unity with him, while 
those who are less so, will not answer the question; but in refusing 
they commit themselves to his views, as entirely as the others, and 
equally so do they in refusing to say whether Gurney's doctrines are 
in conformity with those of our early Friends. These evidences go 
to confirm in the strongest manner those which we have heretofore 
published to demonstrate that the larger body generally have fully iden- 
tified themselves with the views of J. J. G., and therefore are not 
Friends; and their attempts to hide their condition from the well 
informed, are vain and futile. 

Well then, my dear Ann, to evince to thee, as above stated, that 
Gurney's views are, in many fundamental points, palpably at variance 
with those of our Society, I would refer thee to the divers contrasts 
which have been made by plain extracts from Gurney, placing them 
side by side with those from early Friends, so that any person who can 
read and understand our language, and more especially, if he be 
blessed with the perceptions of Truth, can hut see the difference ; and 
the evident perversion of our sentiments by J. J. G. I would refer 
thee to those taken by Wm. Hodgson, Jr., by our Quarterly and 
Yearly Meeting, by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, with comments, 
and lastly by thy correspondent, in his appendix to the " Narrative 



LETTER TO LYDIA A. BARCLAY. 435 

and Exposition." And although it may be, as Gurney's books have 
gone through many editions, in different type, that the passages quoted 
may not compare in all his works alike, yet the extracts, by diligent 
search, will be found correct, and the sentiments will be found to be 
his verbatim. Gurney's defence entitled, " Calumny Refuted," does 
not charge any one with incorrect quotations. 

Finally to conclude, I would refer thee to the authority of Robert 
Barclay to decide the question as to which party are the separatists ; 
he says, " that those who depart from the doctrines are the separatists." 

And all impartial and candid people, without the Society, are clear 
in determining, as by common sense it is determined, that those who 
uphold and defend the author of the new doctrines, are the separatists 
and have become another people. One editor of a religious periodical 
says, that Gurney's doctrines and the doctrines of Friends are as differ- 
ent as are Arminianism and Calvinism, a judgment from which no im- 
partial reader of both will dissent. 

However unsavory this letter may be to Josiah, it is but due to him 
to have the reading of it ; for it is unto him as well as to thyself. I 
would also, that my dear friends Eli and Sybil Jones may see it ; and, 
be assured my dear Ann, that any remarks if written in good feeling, 
in reply to it, by any of you, will be kindly received, and carefully 
read by me. 

John Wilbur. 



FROM J. W. TO LYDIA A. BARCLAY. 

Hopkinton, 7th mo., 15th, 1848. 

MY DEAR AND WELL-BELOVED FRIEND, 

Although I am indebted to thee for a good letter written from Scot- 
land, yet I had fondly anticipated, that after the Yearly Meeting in Lon- 
don, thou would inform me by letter, how things transpired there ; yet, 
not having the satisfaction of receiving, either from thee or any other 
hand, any account of the Yearly Meeting of women Friends, I felt that 
I must wait no longer for a letter, but endeavor, however incompetent I 
feel for it, to answer thy very interesting and obliging epistle of 3d mo., 
11th. Some parts of the account of the men's Yearly Meeting, as 
stated in the " British Friend," is indeed very interesting. That some 
were undaunted in upholding the Truth, and exposing the error of its 
opponents, and so honest in saying where the error originated, was truly 
cheering to Friends here ; and evinces that a shaking time is to come 
upon those strong ones, who have dared to set their hearts, if not lift 
up their hands against the Lord's own precious testimonies, so dear to 
him and his faithful ones — to those who know him and love him with 



436 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

their whole hearts. Oh ! the cup of trembling must and will be, sooner 
or later, given to these perverters of Truth, to drink, if there is not a 
returning speedily unto Him whom they have rejected — unless deep 
repentance is witnessed ; for, alas, the day will come when they cannot 
turn their eyes from looking on him whom they have pierced! Then 
will they not call for the mountains to fall on them, and the rocks to 
cover them from his sight, if they shall not have repented before that 
dreadful day come ? O, I long, if it be a possible thing, that these may 
bow in mercy to the Lord's righteous judgments, before the day of 
retribution shall have passed over their tabernacle ! When men get 
wrong, and their vision is darkened, how inconsistent they will be ; 
however powerful they had been in the understanding and wisdom of 
men, they will err in vision, they will stumble in judgment ! How vain 
and short sighted for those in London Yearly Meeting, at whose door 
lies the blame of disunity in the American churches, — because they 
would not, when in their power, suppress the unsound doctrines which 
produced those dissensions, but encouraged the sending of them to 
America, — I say, how inconsistent to propose lending their assistance 
by an epistle, for the reconciliation of the American Friends, whilst 
on their own shoulders the blame resteth, for the going abroad of the 
unsound doctrines which are the sole cause of the disunity now existing 
in the American Yearly Meetings, and they manifestly continue to up- 
hold those doctrines. Might they not as well have said at once, let 
this Yearly Meeting advise the American Yearly Meetings to be 
reconciled to all the doctrines which have been written by J. J. Gurney 
and Edward Ash, because we allow their circulation without hinderance 
or molestation, and they are to be embodied with the doctrines of 
Friends. Alas ! what a heterogeneous mass of incongruities ! 

Now look, my dear friend, at the minute this year recorded on the 
Yearly Meeting books, " as a united body upholding our ancient stand- 
ard of faith and practice, in all its fulness, spirituality and simplicity, 
we desire to dwell under the weight of this concern," whilst not far 
distant, as I suppose, on the same book, stands recorded the fullest 
approbation of J. J. G. and E. Fry, whose doctrinal writings and prac- 
tices are cherished by the leading members of London Yearly Meeting ! 
How palpably opposed to every idea of candor, integrity and consis- 
tency ! How can men become so lost to the understanding of our lan- 
guage, and the perceptions of Truth on their minds, as to be prepared 
for such attempts ; even to mingle together truth and error, light and 
darkness ? For as well might they, as to attempt mingling together in 
one, the doctrines of Friends and those of Gurney. Or is it rather their 
intention, that as the latter are more agreeable to the natural mind, they 
should spread and overshadow the former, as it is to be feared they 



LETTER TO LYDIA A. BARCLAY. 437 

have already done in many places ? Oh ! what dreadful havoc they 
have made and are making with the Lord's people. If they should 
succeed as far as their desire would evidently lead them, what an im- 
mensity of condemnation must await them ; and it would be a marvel 
if a fearful looking for of judgment does not already greatly trouble 
their lonely moments. When together, by receiving honor one of 
another, they can seem to make it do somewhat tolerably ; but when 
they feel that God only is present with them, how can they endure 
their own condition, and how soon attempt to fly ? How different is 
the work of turning many from righteousness, from that of turning many 
unto righteousness. Oh I can but compassionate their condition and 
crave that the Lord would forgive and interfere with his mighty power, 
and deliver them from the impending ruin. And how thankful it be- 
comes us to be, that we have not been left to make shipwreck of the 
living faith in the gospel power ! 0, we should not consider it to be 
because we are better than they, but of his wonderful and abounding 
mercy ! And my dear sister, how it behooveth us to walk in fear, and 
in much trembling before him lest we also fall ; for it must be through 
the humblest intercession and wrestling with God, that we can be spared 
from the hidden snares of the destroyer ! Oh ! then we will unite in 
prostrating ourselves before the God of our fathers, that he would 
deign of his mercy to keep us as he kept them, and prosper the feeble 
work of our hands, only by and through his holy help, in assisting to 
keep alive a remnant of his children, by whom his great and excellent 
name may be honored, and that the nations may be made to know 
that there is a God who walketh and judgeth in the earth. 

Thou wilt probably see an account of our Yearly Meeting in the 
" British Friend." And it is a consolation to find that our number has 
not diminished, nor their faith failed. And however small that num- 
ber, we feel to have no cause to lament our condition, but rather to 
rejoice that we are of one heart and one mind in the faith of the an- 
cient doctrines of Friends. And my desire and prayer is that we may 
not only keep the faith of the early Friends, but be favored to live 
such lives as they lived. 

Thy ever sincere friend, 

John Wilbur. 



37* 



438 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 



FROM J. W. TO SMITH UPTON. 

Hopkinton, 7th mo., 3d, 1848. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

Persuaded as I am that the principles of Friends are grounded on 
primitive Christianity, leading more directly and more entirely than 
those of any other people, when practically observed, to the accomplish- 
ment of the one great object premised by the gospel of our Lord, I 
have long considered that a faithful support and maintenance of them 
by a holy life and conversation, — thereby clearly demonstrating by 
living experience their efficacy and the truth of what we profess, — is a 
matter of the greatest importance of anything which devolves upon 
those under our name in the present day. Indeed, as our profession, 
reduced to practice, through the power of Truth, is preeminently pro- 
ductive of consummate righteousness, its success and prevalence is of 
greater consequence in the world than anything beside that can be 
named. Hence how needful it was and how needful it remains to be, 
that this people called Quakers, who were through the power of an 
endless life redeemed from iniquity, placed and established upon that 
safe foundation (other than which no man can lay) should have abode, 
and should continue to abide on this foundation, which is Christ Jesus 
the Rock of Ages. It is only by and through the power of Truth that 
this can be witnessed, to the raising up and keeping alive of the image 
of God in the souls of men, evincing to such that the church must 
stand on the Rock and must be manifested to be so standing, by her 
fruits, confirming thereby the doctrine that Jesus Christ is come in 
the flesh, and in the hearts of the true believers, ruling and reigning 
there. 

Now whilst the church, through watchfulness and vigilance abides 
here, all keeping a single eye to Christ the Light, witnessing the indis- 
pensable blessing of being baptized by the one Spirit into the one 
body, so long will peace and harmony, faith and good fruits abound. 

But if unhappily the church shall, through unwatchfulness and the 
stratagems of the enemy, slide from this foundation, alas! how soon 
will the oneness and the unity be lost, because she has broken that 
spiritual bond of union which alone it was that kept her within the 
sound enclosure and upon the sure ground. Consequently she becomes 
broken to pieces and scattered abroad and is exposed to dissension, and 
to whatever wind of doctrine — under whatever name through the artifice 
of men — the enemy may suggest. Whilst she thus remains estranged 
and off the foundation, and scattered, who can reconcile her to God, 
and her wandering tribes or sons one to another ? There is no device 



LETTER TO SMITH UPTON. 439 

of man or of the sons of men that can bring about a spiritual union, 
a Christian fellowship, or a heavenly reconciliation, whilst the church 
and her children are in an apostate condition, or until they can be 
brought back from their slidden condition to that Rock on which she 
was built ! 

If men had power to tame and subdue the fallen angel whose name 
is Legion, and who would feign possess the swine, rather than have no 
abidance on the earth, then let it be supposed that men can reconcile in 
one all those who are seeking to rest the sole of their foot on other 
foundation, including, not only apostate Quakers under the name Hick- 
sites and Gurneyites, but (as well) all unsound professors under every 
name ! When the primitive church was sliding, and had' slidden 
from the true foundation, then dissensions arose by means of false 
doctrines brought in, leading to corrupt practices. Whereupon, in 
order to prevent division, an arm of flesh was resorted to by her faulty 
leaders, first by ecclesiastical authority in order to coerce all her mem- 
bers to a conformity with the corrupt sentiments sacrilegiously brought 
in ; but this kind of authority failing to effect the desired purpose, they 
sought for, and in the event possessed themselves of the full exercise 
and control of the secular power, whereby they were enabled to force 
men to a kind of unity, and conformity to their will and pleasure, and 
by the most arbitrary means they did for a long time, and in a great 
degree bind the body fast to their decrees, and mostly prevented the 
annoyance of open dissensions. But had there been strength enough in 
the primitive church, and that strength seasonably and faithfully exer- 
cised in averting this departure in the beginning by individual dealing, 
in the authority of Truth, with all those who brought in false doctrine, 
and had the judgment of Truth been placed upon them, then the 
church might have been spared from her apostate and lost condition. 
But, alas ! what was the worth of that unity or outward conformity, 
which was through the most subtle contrivance forced upon the nominal 
Christian church ? Nothing at all, nay a thousand times worse than 
nothing ; because the greater the number that are brought to join in 
wrong things, the greater the evil and the more injurious and lament- 
able the consequences. But this is the way that the church in its 
lapsed condition from the Truth, has ever been found to be at work, 
exercising every possible means within its reach to gather the multitude 
to itself, and to reconcile them to its own ways. 

Seeing in " The Friend " thine and thy brother Paul's names among 
others appointed by New York Yearly Meeting, as a deputation to 
meet other similar bodies at Baltimore, for the professed purpose of 
" restoring the Society to the unity and fellowship, that formerly char- 
acterized it," I felt that I wanted to. ask thee, (supposing thou knew, 



440 JOUKNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

being one of the committee,) by what means, and into what condition 
the Society were intended to be restored ? Whether into a oneness of 
faith as well as into outward unity. There could be nothing, I believe, 
that would give me greater joy than to see, whilst I am here, all who 
are professing to be Friends, brought into a fit condition by the power 
of Truth for a union in the covenant and fellowship of the gospel of 
Christ. I know of but one outward medium through which it can be 
eiFected. Nevertheless, if such can be in any degree the Lord knoweth. 
However, the step you have taken would seem to induce one to sup- 
pose that you have measures in view, and at least a little faith to be- 
lieve that those measures would succeed in effecting the object. It is most 
probable that a large majority (however grievous to all honest Friends) 
of those professing orthodox Quakerism, are satisfied with, or what is 
equivalent to the same thing, have no testimony to bear against the 
doctrines of J. J. Gurney, and that the bulk of New York Yearly 
Meeting is included therein — circumstances which naturally lead to the 
question, is it your desire or intention to bring all others either openly 
or covertly to a reconciliation with these doctrines ? Now the con- 
fidence which I have in thy candor induces me to hope that thou wilt 
not withhold from Friends anywhere, who inquire, your object or the 
premises contemplated. But if your intention is otherwise, I would 
ask, do you expect to testify specifically against the unsound doctrines 
of Gurney, and fully to rid the Society at large from them ; so that 
it may again be restored to a unity and fellowship in its primitive 
doctrines ? Or different from either, can any one be persuaded that 
you propose only to bring about a nominal unity, without that unity 
being grounded on any specific doctrines and testimonies whatever, and 
altogether regardless of the past, whether the doctrines of ancient 
Friends, or those directly the reverse are held and believed in the 
Society ? If a " unity and fellowship " can be experienced by men, 
without regard to doctrines, good or bad, then that unity and fellowship 
cannot be valid ; but exists only in name, and must needs include all 
the professors of religion of any sort ! 

Touching such a view as this, last mentioned, let us hear Robert 
Barclay. He says, " If the apostles of Christ of old, and the preach- 
ers of the everlasting gospel in this day, had told all people, how- 
ever wrong they found them in their faith and principles : Our charity 
and love is such we dare not judge you, nor separate from you, but let 
us all live in love together, and every one enjoy his own opinion and all 
will be well. How (says he) should the nations have been ? " &c. 
Again he says : " would not the devil love this doctrine well ? " An 
easy question to answer. 

Thou may find more sentiments appropriate to the point, from page 



LETTER TO SMITH UPTON- 441 

512 onward, in the first volume of Barclay's works. If love, unity and 
charity are to cover up and hide all pernicious doctrines, why did the 
apostle testify so zealously against them, and prohibit any fellowship 
with them and their authors ? or has the nature of such things changed 
since his time ? But evidence is not wanting to prove that the great 
mass of our people in New England are taught to believe that there is 
no essential difference between G-urney's doctrines, and the doctrines of 
Friends ; and I apprehend that it is in this, if not in many other Yearly 
Meetings, so promulgated by the Gurney party generally, however ex- 
tremely absurd it is ; consequently if a general delegation should ever 
go to the fullest extent, in a literal avowal of our ancient doctrines, but 
should make no clear and specific disavowal of the exceptionable doc- 
trines of J. J. G., all their efforts for a reconciliation must prove a curse 
instead of a blessing because many unsuspecting people might thereby be 
misled, and would undoubtedly be drawn into an apprehension that inas- 
much as Gurney's doctrines had been widely spread in the Society by 
its leaders, and defended by the greater number of Friends, and now in 
no sort disapproved by name, or prohibited by the grand committee 
from all the Yearly Meetings, they would be considered by many to be 
sound and safe doctrines ; and so being most agreeable to the natural man, 
may cause the utter apostasy of hundreds or of thousands. Suppose the 
Hicksites should appoint deputations in the same way, and ostensibly 
for the same purpose ; and when met should fully avow the ancient 
Friends' doctrines, but should studiously avoid condemning Elias Hicks's 
doctrines, how much I would ask, would that do towards restoring all 
parties to the unity and fellowship that formerly characterized the So- 
ciety ? We know that they have always held out, and professed that 
they believe entirely the doctrines of ancient Friends. Nevertheless, 
they have, and they do at the present time, seldom fail when occasion 
offers, to eulogize the memory of Elias Hicks, just as the leaders do in 
most of the Yearly Meetings the name of Joseph John Gurney ; so the 
London Yearly Meeting this yerj year, have placed on their records the 
profession " of upholding our ancient standard of faith and practice in 
all its fulness, spirituality and simplicity, and a desire to dwell under the 
weight of this concern," whilst not far distant on the same book stand 
recorded high encomiums on the religious character of J. J. Gurney 
and E. Fry ; whose heterodoxy they cannot, as yet, be induced to dis- 
claim or condemn. Were the ancient Friends addicted to such con- 
tradictory proceedings ? Those abiding in the Truth, I think were 
never caught in such absurdity. Does New York Yearly Meeting 
think that an association or outward coalition, (like some modern notion- 
alists,) of all the Christian professions and denominations without any 
change of their principles, would be consistent in the Divine mind ; or 



442 JOUENAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

that it would be an improvement in what is called Christendom ? Is 
not a contention with error and evil, and a separation from it better 
than to be at peace with it ? The idea that people of adverse doctrines 
can safely walk and associate together in religious fellowship, con- 
flicts entirely with that wisdom and Christian economy, which led 
George Fox, and those of one heart and one mind with him, to separate 
themselves from the confusion of tongues among the different professors, 
and to become gathered into a Society by themselves. 

If the different Yearly Meetings could be favored to purge their 
own camps from unsound doctrines, (which surely they might if they 
have not become apostate themselves,) they would then become as that 
little but sound Yearly Meeting of Friends in New England, is in heart 
and mind of one principle, fully embracing that of the early Friends, 
clear from Hicksism and without Gurneyism, humbly hoping and desir- 
ing, through the Lord's mercies, to be enabled to stand fast in Quakerism 
without alloy. If all might be favored through infinite mercy to hold 
fast simply to this, there would methinks be not much need of a Congress 
of deputies to harmonize together the different Yearly Meetings, for as 
one was so would all be. Let all the Yearly Meetings, then, which 
have not already done so, give forth a public testimony against unsound 
doctrines, which have of late been the sole root and ground of disunity 
in the Society ; and then let the discipline be exercised in the proper 
department, and in the wisdom and authority of Truth over those, if 
any there should be, who will not conform to such a decision ; then 
unity will be restored. Now, my dear friend, to conclude, I would say, 
that as things now are in the Society, I see no other way, nay, I think 
there can be no other, for restoring the Society to the unity of the spirit 
in the bond of peace, and to the only true fellowship, but by purging 
out that which has been and yet is the root of dissension ; but if in thy 
apprehension, and in thy brother's there is any other way or any other 
measures, whereby such a dignified purpose can be effected, thou wilt 
be pleased, I hope, in the like freedom in which I have written thee to 
state to me your views thereon, and much oblige thy ever sincere 
friend, John Wilbur. 



FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY TO J. W. 

Spital, Aberdeen, Scotland, 7th mo., 27th, 1848. 

MY DEAR AND VALUED FRIEND, 

I am only just returned home from the Yearly Meeting and visit- 
ing my clear relatives and friends in the neighborhood of London, and 
hasten to salute thee in renewed (yet ancient) love by this packet; 



LETTER FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY. 443 

and shall be much pleased to receive a letter from thee, and to know 
by it at what time thou received my last, which I sent thee the middle 
of 3d mo., in answer to thy affectionate solicitude about my health ! I 
was at that time about to visit the families in two meetings of this 
small Monthly Meeting, which through divine mercy and help, I was 
enabled to do, to my great relief, and was favored with the Sowings of 
peace very unworthily ; my way seemed opened and my mouth too, after 
having been shut up for near a year, almost entirely ; and though very 
weak in body, I was graciously sustained. ***** The 
epistle from Philadelphia has been usually read on the first opening of 
the meeting, before entering on the queries, and with much solemn 
quiet and impression of manner, but last year and this year it was 
thrust last of all, and into an afternoon sitting, (as it were in disrespect.) 
It was a beautiful epistle, and excellently adapted to our true state ; 
but it touched too closely for some to bear, on the difference between 
the true and the false love and unity, and how the enemy can trans- 
form himself into the appearance of an angel of love as well as of 
light. Therefore our troubles, (that is, our apparent ones, for much 
quiet had prevailed before,) commenced when the committee sat on 
the subject of answering this epistle, which was the fifth day of the 
first week, for as soon as it was read, divers Friends declared it had 
been dictated by the wisdom of the evil one, and written in a wrong 
spirit, and had the savor of death, and therefore it should not be an- 
swered ! Whilst a few of the faithful, suffering remnant expressed 
their feeling that it had the savor of life, and desired a sub-committee 
might be named to answer it. Those who had the sway were the 
strongest and most determined in their expressions, and it was concluded 
not to answer it. * * * * * * At the next sitting of the 
committee on epistles, (7th day,) dear Hannah Marsh, of Croydon, 
was made so innocently bold as to bring forward again the sub- 
ject of the Philadelphia epistle, she not having been present before, 
and one or two others seconded her, desiring that at least that Yearly 
Meeting should be treated with due respect in naming a sub-committee 
to feel upon this subject. This proposition by some strange revolu- 
tion in the minds of a few influential ones, (some politic considera- 
tions I suppose,) was acceded to by some of those very persons who 
had two days before so strenuously resisted it ; but it was to be on 
condition that the sub-committee should be mostly of such as held 
their views, and if the epistle were answered, it should be very short 
and in a certain line I What limiting of the Spirit was here ! How- 
ever, some of us were glad under any circumstances to get a sub-commit- 
tee, and what was afterwards produced was much more tolerable than 
some of us had feared, though of course not the language that would 



444 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

have flowed in our minds towards our dear Friends of that Yearly Meet- 
ing ! We also had a very trying discussion relative to the expression 
" suffering with the suffering seed," in the address to the counties, a pour- 
ing forth of unsound views from the modern Friends on the subject, 
which they in all their carnal wisdom could not possibly fathom ! This 
was the second week. ***** Our select sittings were ex- 
ceedingly trying as usual, and only three in all, one being omitted, thus 
crowding all the burden and exercise that ought to come upon that 
meeting into a short space of time ; to the wounding, as I believe, of 
many ! but man's wisdom and policy plans all for these meetings, and 
his will and power act in them, and can we wonder at the most of trial 
and suffering being in those meetings when we remember and 
feel that it is true concerning us that "the leaders of this people 
cause them to err ?"******** * But we need 
not be greatly moved at anything, for if things are by trials brought 
nearer to a head (as it were) amongst us, there will be more hope 
of deliverance ; so we must trust all in the good Hand, who can overrule 
all for good to them that love him, and support them through all 
he permits to try them. ****** 

Philadelphia Yearly Meeting has deferred to another year the 
considering of your case and recognizing you ! I expect the modern 
Friends there will . take advantage of this time which they have 
gained, (as I imagined by weakness of others !) to ply all their 
efforts to overturn the measure of recognizing you. I expect also 
that many there are looking at the probable consequences, for if 
they recognize you they must testify against us, and others who are in 
unity with the larger body. * * * * * * -j^ 
feeling in the London meetings is very trying, but thou wilt, I fear, 
say I am always mourning ! there is indeed a cause, and George Fox 
and our other faithful worthies of old times would have to cry " woe to 
us," the same as they did to the other professors of their day, for they 
would not know us to be their people ! still there is a little, faithful 
remnant, and they lie low and scattered, by ones and twos about in dif- 
ferent parts, and when many of these meet at Yearly Meeting time 
they can understand each other's speech, being of the heavenly country 
in truth, and not merely in show, and they feel knit together, and 
strengthened together in God, and they take a little fresh courage, and 
thank, and praise His holy name, who has hitherto helped them, and 
desire still to trust in him, for what he will yet do for and in them ! 
And you, dear friends, are not forgotten by them at such times ; and 
other faithful and tribulated ones in your land ; for true heavenly love 
flows over sea and land, and nothing obstructs it — not death itself! for 
He who fills with it, gives the victory over death, hell and the grave, 
blessed be his holy name forever ! 



LETTER TO RALPH AND LYDIA NEILD. 445 

Farewell, my endeared friend, in a measure I humbly trust of this 
true love, desiring thy breathing when favored with ability, and I re- 
main thy nearly united, and affectionate friend, 

Lydia A. Barclay. 



FROM J. W. TO RALPH AND LYDIA NEILD. 

Hopkinton, 9 mo., 5, 1848. 

However long our correspondence has been suspended, my dear 
friends, I have not been altogether unmindful of you ; although many 
trials and deep baptisms have fallen to my lot, and perils to the church 
of our Lord have intervened, I have not forgotten you ; nay, but of late, 
and more especially within a few days past, my mind has been almost 
continually with you, and my best feelings of love and brotherly affec- 
tion have been drawn freely towards you, with uplifted heart and hands 
for your, as for my own preservation, that notwithstanding the shaking 
and trial of our foundation, I have desired that we might, in the Lord's 
adorable mercy, be spared from the ruin which threatens this people, 
that so when the faithful and redeemed of the Lord are enabled to come 
into his presence in heaven with joy and gladness upon their counte- 
nances, we, my dear friends, may be of the joyful number. 

The endearing cord, my precious Lydia, which first bound our hearts 
together, remains the same in mine at this moment as when rejoicing 
with thee under thy paternal roof; or as when at all times in which I 
was privileged sweetly to enjoy thy company in those precious seasons 
of our personal acquaintance, drinking together of the one Spirit, when 
the Lord, in his everlasting kindness, united our hearts in the bonds of 
his blessed gospel of life and power, which I desire may never be 
broken. And oh ! that this desire may be mutually cherished between 
us to the full consummation of the pure love of God in our hearts, and 
that to the end of our pilgrimage here in time ; for certainly if we are 
favored to continue loyal to our espoused covenant with the bridegroom 
of souls, and to his testimonies over and above all other obligations, 
whether to men or angels, then my dear friends, this bond of a Christian 
fellowship with the meek followers of a crucified Lord, will neither be 
marred nor broken ; for whether it be through evil report or good report, 
they must, and will be one another's joy in the Lord. How entirely, 
then, our peace and preservation depends upon our keeping a single eye 
to him and to his testimonies and commandments in the " obedience of 
faith " as have the faithful in all ages ; in which our honest predecessors 
were conspicuous, being living examples and holy walkers, fully believ- 
ing in and maintaining the doctrines of primitive Christianity in the life 
38 



446 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

and power thereof; knowing by living experience that primitive Chris- 
tianity could be witnessed, practised, and experienced in their day, and, 
consequently, to the end of time, as it was at the first, through the light, 
life, and power revealed by Jesus Christ our Lord in the souls of men. 
The misgivings which an enemy has introduced into our Society of 
later time touching our faith in the inward light, life, and power of 
Christ the Lord, has done incalculable mischief both in your country 
and ours. It has undoubtedly caused hundreds of our ministers to let 
go their hold of the faith of immediate revelation, whereby there has 
been, (sorrowful to say,) a lamentable falling back from the spirit to the 
letter ; holding to the form, but practically denying the life and power ! 
This degeneracy has been seen and known not only by the living 
among us, but by other people also ; and it seems very strange how 
those ministers who have heretofore been favored to preach in demon- 
stration of the Spirit and with power, can now be satisfied only to 
preach themselves, or to preach the letter. Oh, how can they be con- 
tented no more to hear the voice of the true Shepherd, and only 
to follow the voice of the stranger, or to hew out cisterns for them- 
selves. Their condition and the condition of the church under such 
sad declension, is greatly to be lamented. Instead of that peace 
and joy which proceedeth alone from the smiling countenance of the 
blessed Shepherd, and the honor which cometh from him only, their 
portion can be no more nor better than the honor that is received one 
of another, — bread that will never sustain the soul. If the peace of 
God be withheld from us, what will avail the praise of men ? What 
would avail the commendation of all men ? What would it avail to our 
souls to enjoy the love of men or angels if shut out from the love of 
God ? Oh, what a consolation and stay in our tossed condition it is to 
believe and to know that God is the same yesterday, to-day, and for- 
ever, and that he is as willing to reveal himself and his will in man as 
ever he was, — as willing as he was when the Lord Jesus exhorted his 
ministers to wait for the promise of the Father which, (says he,) ye 
have heard of me. He had before told them that when they were 
brought before kings and rulers to bear testimony to his name, not to 
premeditate beforehand what they should say, " for the Spirit of my 
Father shall teach you in that same hour what ye ought to say, for it 
is not ye that speak but the Holy Ghost that speaketh in you ; and I 
will give you a mouth and a wisdom which your adversaries shall not 
be able to gainsay nor resist." This doctrine he had before preached 
unto them, and now again at his last personal interview with them on 
sending them forth to teach all nations, he exhorted them to wait for 
the same qualification ; and to strengthen their faith in this blessed 
helper, to wit, his own spiritual presence, he said, " Lo I am with you 



LETTER TO EALPH AND LYDIA NEILD. 447 

alway, even to the end of the world." And there is not a single reason 
which can be rightfully rendered why this should not be the experience 
of his ministers in this our day as at the first. Nay, verily, and blessed 
be the name of the Lord, there is a remnant yet spared abiding in the 
same faith, and through the mercies of God to the church and to their 
own souls, do witness the fulfilment of this blessed promise, as they 
trust to his goodness and power and are obedient in waiting for it ; to 
this I can place my seal by both former and continued experience, and 
in which I feel bound, under the strongest obligation, to give the glory 
unto the Lord God and the Lamb to whom it belongeth, world without 
end. And how strongly are we bound, my endeared friends, to praise 
the name of Israel's Shepherd, that he does yet vouchsafe immediately 
to reveal his mind and will to his humble, obedient children, that do 
believe and trust in him and in the revelation of his life and power. 
Notwithstanding the excellency and great favor to us of the Holy Scrip- 
tures, through the opening of the Holy Spirit, yet without this, and with- 
out any intercourse between God and his church immediately revealed 
how forlorn would be her condition ; even as with the world at large, 
scattered as it were by the confusion of tongues ; diverse in their inter- 
pretations of the most essential doctrines of Holy Writ, for the want of 
faith in the continuance of divine revelation. * * * * 

I am persuaded, my dear friends, that the doctrines of our first 
Friends which are very dear to me, are also dear to you ; and if so I 
hope nothing will deter you from a faithful adherence to them; that 
neither principalities nor powers, things present nor things to come, nor 
any other creature will ever be able to separate you from them nor from 
the love of God in Christ Jesus, upon which and in which those doc- 
trines are undoubtedly grounded and contained. I do, my dear friends, 
feel a living desire and concern that there may be kept and preserved 
a people both in this and in your land faithful to the primitive doctrines 
and testimonies of Friends, and prepared to withstand the plausible se- 
ductions of the unwearied adversary who is seeking through the wisdom 
of the wise of this world, insidiously to lay waste the true heritage of 
God as he has been striving to do in the different ages of the world. It 
appears by a recurrence to the history of the past that whenever the 
Almighty by his Providence and by the arm of his power has effected a 
reformation of mankind, that the enemy of all good has not failed to 
bestir himself in order again to pollute those testimonies whereby that 
reformation had been accomplished. We might refer to the means 
resorted to for the perversion of the Lord's work by Moses, for a 
reformation from idolatry, as well as for the perversion of the great 
apostolic reformation, and now again, (to pass over many others,) for 
the perversion of that notable reformation by George Fox and his asso- 



448 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

dates ; which attempts, as we have seen, introduced the most beguiling 
transformations both on the right hand and on the left. But well will 
it be for those whose eyes the Lord of Sabaoth hath anointed to see 
the deceitfulness of the means brought into requisition for effecting the 
enemy's purposes in deterring this people from the consummation of 
that holy work which their predecessors had so faithfully and honorably 
begun and advanced, — I say happy, for these if they unflinchingly abide 
the baptisms essential to the work of their day, and keep the word of 
God's patience through all, then he will bless the work in their hands, 
and cause the church again to come up from the wilderness leaning on 
the breast of her Beloved, and enabling her to break forth both on the 
right hand and on the left. Then through faith do we not see that her 
cords will be lengthened and her stakes strengthened, and many shall 
run to and fro and the knowledge of the Lord be increased, and judg- 
ment shall run down as waters, and righteousness as a river. 

Your friend, John Wilbur. 



FROM L. A. BARCLAY TO J. W". 

Aberdeen, Scotland, 6th mo., 21st, 1849. 

MY DEAR AND VALUED FRIEND, 

****** Oh, how helpful and strengthening (and what a bless- 
ing !) is spiritual unity with dear fellow-travellers, as we pass along 
this weary way ! it is next in comfort and enjoyment to the supreme 
fellowship ; yea, it emanates therefrom, is a precious fruit thereof, and as 
thou sayest is consummated in the realms of heavenly, everlasting, and 
unshaded bliss. I was grieved to hear of the weakness of poor John 
Warren, though I had hardly any knowledge of him, having missed him 
when in this country, except at one meeting. Ah ! it is very depressing 
in these last twenty-five years to see and feel the changes in those whom 
we have heretofore esteemed highly ; and latterly they have been very 
rapid, even the last few months shows the warping aside of one or an- 
other ! Surely if there were not a little remnant preserved alive we 
should be like unto Sodom and Gomorrah. I shall feel much interested 
in hearing of your Yearly Meeting, which I suppose is about this time ; 
where you had it, and how attended, and if favored with heavenly good, 
as I hope it may have been. ****** J was reminded of what dear 
Sarah Grubb said to me in 1834 in reference to E. Bates : " Lydia, 
didst thou ever see so exact an imitation of the precious gem ? " Ah, 
the enemy has his imitations and images whereby to draw us away 
from the pure unchangeable Truth; when one is detected, then he 
decks up another ; and the more like the life the better for his purpose, 
if possible to deceive the very elect ! 



LETTER TO ELIZABETH PITFIELD. 449 

There is latterly got up amongst us a preaching apparently of an- 
cient doctrines, a using of ancient expressions, and an extolling of our 
ancient Friends, which last could not be endured by some of these 
same Friends eighteen years ago ! But even the very babes who cleave 
to the Divine gift of light and life, and the savor thereof, can taste 
and feel the deficiency underneath all this ! The poor Irish Friends 
were so beguiled by these things, and the winning love and sweet- 
ness that overpowered all, that they were induced to send for the first 
time an epistle to the larger body in New England ; and also to 
acknowledge the acceptable services of S. H. (whose long, and pain- 
ful supplications, &c, had tried some of us greatly !) and to give her 
a returning certificate. ***** 

Thy affectionate friend, Lydia A. Barclay. 



FROM J. W. TO ELIZABETH PITFIELD. 

Hopkinton, 6th mo., 23d, 1849. 

MY DEAR FRIEND ELIZABETH PITFIELD, 

I have felt my mind for these few days drawn into near brotherly 
feeling with thee, and I think I may venture to say, in the sweet spring- 
ing up of a little portion of that love, which through infinite mercy is 
permitted at seasons to water and to refresh the whole heritage of the 
faithful servants and handmaidens of the Lord ; and in this I salute 
thee as a dear sister ; and truly the time seems long since I have been 

favored to see thee and dear face to face, a privilege which I 

long to enjoy, at least once more in mutability ; and there are many 
others both in city and country with you, whom I should rejoice to 
meet with again on this side of the confines of time, (to me so near at 
hand,) if consistent with the will of our heavenly Father. But every 
desire, however good, must centre in the will of Him who holds in 
reserve the immensity of unsullied enjoyment for all those who abide 
in his fear, and in his love, and serve him faithfully. But oh ! if it 
were not for the hope of such a reality, in the society of those I dearly 
love, and for the still better hope, of an unceasing participation in the 
love and goodness of Him whose loveliness infinitely transcends even 
the loveliest work of his own hands, my heart would despair in the 
fleeting uncertainties of time. But we are bound to rejoice evermore 
and in all things to give thanks that he has ordained for us the addi- 
tional enjoyment of the sweet company of the kindred spirits of those 
who are made near to us in time by reason of the deep baptizing, and 
the drinking together of the one Spirit — all together, how inexpressible 
the consummation of his mercy, his goodness, and his glory ; and how 
38* 



450 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

astonishing that any of his rational creatures should despise the enjoy- 
ment of his favor and the riches of his kingdom. 

*********** 

May the goodness of the Lord, which pervades all his attributes, 
await thee my dear sister, and give unto thee an increase of all the 
requisite qualifications for the fulfilment of thy mission to thy own 
peace and joy, to the furtherance of Truth's cause among his people, 
and to the honor and praise of his great and holy and ever worthy 

name, in which I would include dear , and all that precious 

number yet spared by reason of their meekness and lowliness from the 
overwhelming surge of temptation, be their allotment among his people 
what it may ; in which desire my wife joins me. 

Thy affectionate friend, 

J. Wilbur. 



PROM J. W. TO MART DAVIS. 

Hopkinton, 6th mo., 27, 1849. 

MY DEAR FRIEND MARY DAVIS, 

My wife has ever since we left Newport, been gradually gaining a 
little in health and strength, for which favor I trust we are thankful to 
the Giver of every good and perfect gift ; and well may I say for the 
many bestowed upon us, how greatly are we indebted ! and I do ex- 
ceedingly desire that we may, during the few remaining days that may 
be allotted us, give up more and more to greater devotedness to the 
good cause ; but at the same time take good care not to run too fast, 
which we know would mar the work more than help it; but we 
will be glad and rejoice in this, that there is a way of safety, and 
of getting rightly forward in simply filling up the measure of duty 
whether less or more. Is it not by dwelling low in self-abasedness, 
and living near, very near, and continually with Him who is a mighty 
fountain of wisdom and strength ? Surely without the pressing forward 
towards this mark for the prize of the gospel minister's high calling in 
Christ Jesus, that blessed gift of a living ministry will, and must be 
lost to the world. But I desire and hope that there may be preserved 
through these sifting times, at least a living remnant, who will hold 
fast the profession of their calling without wavering, to the honor of 
Him who has called, and to the upholding of this blessed gift and ex- 
perience, of knowing him to put forth and go before his servants, 
which is the very glory of the gospel dispensation, unknown by the 
great bulk of Christian professors ; and -none too well known and ex- 
perienced by all under our name, even in our little company that have 
been trying to stand fast. Self, and the creature, if not. sufficiently 



LETTEK FEOM LYDIA A. BARCLAY. 451 

humbled and mortified, puts in for a share in the work, and is exceed- 
ingly prone to claim in itself a share of the honor of it. This want 
of a thorough redemption from the will of the flesh has been a great 
detriment to the Lord's prophets in all ages. There is much reason 
to believe that many of the true prophets in olden time became lost 
to the true gift, and finally were found among the false prophets. 
Indeed there are so many wayward influences acting even upon sin- 
cere minds, that nothing less than the repeated baptism of the Holy 
Ghost and fire is found sufficient to keep us entirely on the right step- 
ping-stones. I apprehend that the Society of Friends, from the first, 
has never been for any length of time together, exempt from trouble 
of this kind ; it has not been so throughout our Yearly Meeting since 
my time ; nevertheless, we have always through the Lord's mercies 
been blessed with a goodly number of living ministers among us ; and 
many times great favor we have known in a Yearly Meeting capacity, 
formerly, even when everything was not entirely as would have been 
desirable ; and so I presume we might say of our late solemnity, con- 
cerning which I think we have on the whole much to be thankful for, 
hoping, as I do, that something has been gained ; and I greatly desire 
that we may hold fast, and be favored to grow stronger and stronger, 
so that on account of our faithfulness, generations to come may have 
occasion to glorify our Father in heaven. 

In much love to thyself, and all faithful Friends in your Quarterly 
Meeting, I conclude, and am very affectionately thy friend, 

John Wilbur. 



FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY TO J. TV. 

Aberdeen, Scotland, 27th of 11th mo., 1849. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

Thy kind letter of 10th mo., 12th, was received on the 30th of the 
same, an unusually quick passage ; and was very acceptable and consol- 
atory to me, inasmuch as thy hopeful anticipations of, and expressions 
on a purification of the precious from the vile amongst us, a back- 
sliding people, were truly cheering and animating ! For really, dear 
friend, some of us do feel that things are getting worse and worse, 
more and more of the evil or backsliding becoming apparent contin- 
ually, and as a dear friend says in a letter to me yesterday, " What we 
have already gone through seems, as we fear, only as the beginning of 
sorrows ! " I notice what thou sayest as to the measures used to be- 
guile the Irish Friends, and I was not without somewhat of a similar 
feeling when there, at their Yearly Meeting, and I regretted that some 
of whom one would have expected better things were not more on 



452 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

their guard against these plausible devices ! ***** * The 
Philadelphia document I had just received when I got thy letter. * 
* * * * It is an excellent, clear thing, and I hope may open the 
eyes of many, but there have been such very evil thoughts industri- 
ously propagated against Philadelphia Yearly Meeting during the last 
three years, (and which their dilatoriness in stepping has no doubt 
contributed to spreading,) that with many, I fear such a document 
will only be scouted. Had Philadelphia acted with more firmness and 
promptitude early, I expect it would have better helped both us and 
other Yearly Meetings on your side the water. ****** 
I remain thy affectionate friend, 

Ltdia A. Barclay. 



FROM SARAH HILLMAN TO J. W. 

Philadelphia, 1st mo., 12th, 1850. 

MY BELOVED FRIEND, 

Although thy precious, consolatory salutation of 8th mo., 30th, 1849, 
is as yet unacknowledged, I may tell thee I have thought of thee and 
thine, and dipped with you, methinks into very low places, whilst the 
many weights, exercises, and trials of my poor spirit have almost pre- 
cluded efforts to commune with any of those I love in this way. Truly 
we live in a day wherein we may well take up the mournful lamen- 
tation of the prophet respecting many of those who stood in the fore 
ranks even of the people, " thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed 
with water," and ofttimes under a sense of our own jeopardy, and the 
state of the church, we are clothed in sackcloth, and stationed as at 
Marah's waters, while in the depth of our humiliation and distress, we 
are made willing to go to the King as Esther did with the petition, 
" Lord if I perish let it be at thy feet." " Spare thy people, O Lord." 
Ah, how many times does my heart visit your little meetings wherein 
the great and good Shepherd and Husbandman does, I doubt not, visit 
your souls, and feed you with the manna sent down from heaven, and 
can but crave that He who alone can turn the hearts of men, as a man 
turneth the watercourse in his field, will undertake for us, and hasten, 
if it please him, the time when we shall be able to pass from the one 
part of his heritage to the other, among all those wherever situated 
who belong to his church militant on earth, who are of one heart and 
of one way, who desire to know nothing save the Lord Jesus and him 
crucified, and are striving together, though separated by bonds, for the 
" blessed hope of the gospel." These are they who can in this day testify 
as did the apostles of old, of those things which they have seen with 
their eyes, which they have tasted, and which their hands have handled, 



LETTEE FROM CHRISTOPHER HEALY. 453 

of the good word of life, and having descended into suffering and death, 
with and for their dear Saviour, can call upon others to come and have 
fellowship with them, in that blessed fellowship which is with the 
Father and with the Son, and one with another in him. 

********** 

I doubt not, my beloved friend, some who have despised thee, and 
counted thy life madness, will be astonished at the evidence that thy 
Lord has numbered thee among his chosen, and when he cometh to 
make up his jewels will set thee as a stone in his crown, yea he will 
spare thee and many more, I trust, who have walked mournfully before 
him, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. 

While the testimony of gainsayers will be as in olden time, " We fools 
counted his life madness and his end to be without honor, how is he 
numbered with the children of God, and his lot is among the saints." 

Let us then, my dear friend, press on, hoping all things and enduring 
ail things, if so be in the end we may reap the salvation of our souls. 
May the arms of thy hands continually be made strong by the mighty 
God of Jacob, (who took thee in early life, and has led thee and given 
thee a part in the ministry of reconciliation, and has blessed the work 
in thy hands,) until he grant thee from Pisgah's mount, to view the 
length and breadth of all the land he has given thee, and conduct thee 
in peace over Jordan. 

Thy truly attached sympathizing friend and sister, 

Sarah Hillman. 



FROM CHRISTOPHER HEALY TO J. W. 

Lower Makefield, Bucks County, Pa., 3d mo., 22d, 1850. 

MY DEAR FRIEND JOHN WILBUR, 

In the love of the gospel I write unto thee to inform thee that I re- 
ceived thy very acceptable letter yesterday which we read with great 
satisfaction, and were comforted in feeling thee so firm in the ancient 
faith once delivered to the saints. May He who has been thy bow, and 
covered thy head in the day of battle, continue with thee and renew 
thy strength in him whose arm is everlasting strength. I know of no 
one in these latter days of trouble in our Society that has had so deep 
baptisms to pass through as thou hast. But my dear friend, may thy 
soul be filled with thanksgiving and living praises to the great Captain 
of our salvation, who was never foiled in the field nor overcome in the 
day of battle. Nothing but his help could have sustained thee and 
thy dear friends in such times of sore conflict ; and my heart's desire 
and prayer to the living God is that you may hold on your way, for I 
do believe the victory will be obtained if your faith fail not. Remem- 



454 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

ber the blessed declaration that the mountains flowed down at his pres- 
ence. When this scourge has sifted our poor Society enough, he will 
take the work into his own hands and show who are his friends and 
who are his enemies, as he has in some measure began to do already. 

Oh, my dear friend, as thou art so thoroughly converted, strengthen 
thy brethren ; yea speak often to them and one unto another, and the 
Lord who has been your helper will hearken, and a book of remem- 
brance will be written before him. Thou with myself art of the num- 
ber that have stood firm for that blessed cause which is dignified with 
immortality and crowned with eternal life ; hold fast the beginning of 
thy confidence steadfast unto the end, that so the crown may be sure. 
The time is approaching when thou as well as myself must be offered 
up, and may we through watchfulness and holy help, be enabled to 
adopt the language of that faithful apostle Paul : that we have fought 
a good fight, have kept the faith and finished our course, and that hence- 
forth there is a crown laid up for us, which the Lord the righteous 
Judge shall give to us at that day, and not to us only but to all those 
that love his appearing. Oh, if our poor Society had loved his ap- 
pearing there never would have been such a leaving of the ancient 
stepping-stones. But my beloved friend, let us not be too much dis- 
couraged; our heavenly Shepherd can raise up sons and daughters 
from the highways and hedges, bring them into the church and qualify 
them for his work and service. My mind is enlarged, but my hand 
fails by reason of the weakness of my nervous system. I have not 
written so much as a line since I wrote to thee, until now, so thou will 
excuse my short letter. I am middling well except my nervousness ; 
my family are also well. Give my love to thy dear wife and to all 
inquiring friends. 

Please to write soon that I may know how thou feels concerning that 
better part, as well as how thou art in bodily health. So I conclude 
in that love which shall abide, thy brother in the gospel of the dear 
Son of God, 

Christopher Healy. 



FROM J. TV. TO WILLIAM HODGSON, JR. 

Fifth day, after meeting, the 5th of 9th mo., 1850. 



MY DEAR FKIEXD, 



Abounding has not been prevailingly my lot, since I parted with thee 
at Newport, although now and then a fresh spring has been met with 
by the wayside, of good refreshing and living water, insomuch that it 
would seem for a short season that I should hardly thirst again, but 



LETTER TO WILLIAM HODGSON, JR. 455 

alas, how soon these joyful streams are passed by, in pursuing the 
healthful Christian travel over the ascending and descending pathway 
of life ; and I will not murmur, because the more painful the labor, 
and the more intense the thirst, the greater the joy, when, in everlasting 
and unmerited kindness, the fountain is again opened, for the refresh- 
ment of the weary and needy soul. The coming here once more of 
dear Christopher Healy was truly a brook, if not a river, to us, for on 
some occasions the stream rose so mightily that it was deep enough to 
swim in ; seasons, in which the gospel was preached in so lively and 
powerful a manner, that none present were able, nay, nor disposed to 
gainsay or condemn, although gospel justice was done to ceremonial 
religion, and the life and power exalted above all forms. It is believed 
among us, that he is remarkably fitted for the promulgation and exal- 
tation of our doctrines, and at the same time to persuade Friends to 
live up to their principles. And however unsatisfactory it was, that 
his certificates were not in common form, or such as he and his company 
were entitled to have had, it appears that his services were very satis- 
factory wherever he went ; and the conduct and conversation of himself, 
dear Sarah and G. W. Brown were exemplary and of good report among 
us. And we trust that a good reward awaits them, as they are favored 
to give the glory to Him, who put them forth, went before, and brought 
them back, as I trust, in peace ; although we have not heard from them 
since they arrived home. ******* 

Honest Friends in New England are made glad that the standard- 
bearers in your land have not all fainted ; and are encouraged to hope 
that many there are yet remaining, who prefer Jerusalem and her tes- 
timonies above their chiefest joy, and unto whom the Lord our helper 
still giveth help and understanding to uphold the blessed cause, and a 
heart of willingness to be exercised therein, and in its service. And I 
do rejoice, my dear fellow-laborer, that a more undaunted spirit in the 
Lord's cause, is more and more being developed in Philadelphia and 
thereaway, and I am comforted in a hope that though the unflinching 
faithfulness of a few, the victory of truth over error will eventually be 
gained, to the honor of the Lord's great and ever worthy name ! 

I had been from home nearly two weeks, and in the time, attended 
the Quarterly Meeting at Berwick, and divers meetings that way, and 
came home enjoying serenity and peace of mind. Oh ! may the Lord, 
who is omnipotent, keep our little heritage close home unto himself, 
and preserve them a living and united people, serving him with their 
whole heart, and doing honor to the name of their great Deliverer ! I 
do not feel that I have got entirely through with this very serious con- 
cern of having religious opportunities with other societies ; and how- 
ever formidable and trying ; the great openness among them, and the 



456 JOUENAL OF JOHN WILBUE. 

peace and joy consequent upon devotion to this service, have hitherto 
encouraged me to pursue it ; believing, however, that a release will ere 
long be proclaimed, and more rest enjoyed. This service, however, has 
been, in mercy, leisurely meted out to me, for this half year past. 

I remain very affectionately, as ever, thine, in the fellowship of that 
gospel which is surely unchangeable, 

John "Wilbur. 



FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY TO J. W. 

Aberdeen, Scotland, 26th of 6th mo., 1850. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

****** There is very much which we are 
obliged to bear patiently, which we have no unity with, and see no way 
but to wait, till the way of relief and release more evidently appears, 
and is made ; hoping to be preserved from improperly putting forth 
our hands, as well as from shrinking on the other hand when clearly 
required. 

And now, oh what shall I say about poor Philadelphia Yearly Meet- 
ing ! Surely we must mourn and lament at their inaction ! Oh ! the 
conservatives or middle men, do more harm than the more open op- 
posers ; because acting under a plausible guise of patience, meekness 
and love, and keeping the harmony ! I believe they will be made more 
manifest in due time, and the faithful remnant must make a stand 
against them, and testify boldly for the pure Truth ! I feel afraid of 
looking to any for help, for " in vain is salvation hoped for from the 
mountains ! " 

***** j^ j j sa( jiy f ear (though untold) that W. E. is 
one of the conservatives, and has done much harm by his great influ- 
ence as clerk to this Yearly Meeting. I have long suspected it. And 
how earnestly do I crave the preservation and help of the faithful and 
upright remnant amongst them, as well as you, and that in due time 
liberation and recognition may strengthen your hands respectively ! 
And oh ! for our little handful here, may we be preserved in faith and 
patience to the end, which crowns all, and is peace ! 

I am through mercy recruiting in health, since my return home on 
the 11th of this month, and favored with the Sowings of that peace, 
which I value far more than gold, desiring to be humbled in self- 
abasement, melted in thankfulness, and animated to renewed devotion 
to the best of Masters in future ! Hoping this will find thee and thine 
favored with health, I remain in dear love and near unity, thy true 
friend, Lydia A. Barclay. 



LETTER FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY. 457 

FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY TO J. W. 

Perth, 10th mo., 26th, 1850. 

MY BELOVED FRIEND, 

****** Thy last dated 8th mo., 10th, I received 
on the 28th of the same, and it was very acceptable. I had an account 
of your Yearly Meeting from W. Hodgson, who was there, and it 
greatly interested and comforted me, and a few other of my dear friends 
to whom I showed it in confidence. Oh ! what a comfort it would be 
to some burdened minds to meet together thus in a purified state in our 
Yearly Meeting capacity. But dear friend, there is great need for you 
to keep a close watch over your own spirits, and to cleave to the pure 
gift of Divine light and life, that so you may be preserved in a true 
living exercise, in purity of doctrine and discipline, in faithfulness of 
practice and in deep humility before the Lord ; for many eyes are upon 
you for evil, watching for your halting, your declining in life, or exal- 
tation above the lowly and safe ground ! I earnestly and unceasingly 
desire your preservation on every hand, and especially that your little 
camp may be kept clean by a right and living discipline, such as was 
first set up amongst us ! I wish that other members of different Yearly 
Meetings on your continent might be also stirred up to go and see and 
feel for themselves how things are amongst you — it might remove much 
prejudice. It appeared by W. H.'s letter as if those who went from 
Philadelphia Yearly Meetings were mostly younger Friends ; it would 
be desirable for older ones and those of acknowledged weight to go, 
whose judgment might be more valued. * * * * 

I am distressed on account of W. E., having for some years felt a 
fear he was leaning to human wisdom and prudence, to the hindering 
of the true zeal, and consequently to the hurt of the pure cause of 
Truth ! His influence being so great in their Yearly Meeting, I fear 
such conservative views will get strengthened and increased to the 
weakening of many, and to the burdening of the more upright and 
faithful! 

We have had and amongst us this month, they took 

up their quarters under my little roof at Aberdeen. ***** 
We had much conversation together, and I touched on their Yearly 
Meeting's backwardness in acknowledging you after they had united 
with the report of their committee and had waited and seen the dif- 
ferent treatment the two bodies in New England had given their docu- 
ment, and therefore knew thereby what manner of spirit each was of! 
and I endeavored to show how I felt upon those conservative views, 
and what harm they might and I believed would do. Ah ! I fear it is 
39 



458 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

a device of the enemy to frustrate the shaking off of impurity from our 
Society, and the arising thereof, and shining forth in the glory, and to 
the spreading of the kingdom of the Lord and his Christ ! But he is 
able to bring good to his chosen and faithful ones, even out of all the 
evil that the wily enemy causes ; and I have thought that these things 
are an additional call on us to watch against our own spirits and to 
seek for renewed humility and close keeping before the Lord, that so 
these things may not drive us off our guard, or out of the true patience 
and lively exercise, but may tend like a very hot furnace to our further 
refining and establishing in purity and real value. I was pleased to 
see by the Philadelphia " Friend " that Ohio has not yet yielded 
to recognize the larger body. * * * * Every year we seem 
retrograding, and though in some respects our last Yearly Meeting 
seemed more favorable, it was somewhat comparable to a fire which be- 
fore it bursts forth seems to be almost gone ! so that some of us seem 
to shudder in the fearful looking for of what may come upon us ere 
long ! But we know nothing shall harm us if we be followers of that 
which is good, and so we desire to possess our souls in patience, humbly 
trusting that the Lord will cause all things to work together for good to 
those who truly love him. 

Thy nearly united friend, 

Ltdia A. Barclay. 



FROM LTDIA A. BARCLAY TO J. W. 

Aberdeen, 26th of 2d mo., 1851. 

MY DEAR AXB VALUED FRIEXD JOHN WILBUR. 

********** 

I can fully enter into feeling with thee respecting your own state. 
I can believe you must feel the want of the refreshment and help of the 
spirits of divers visitors from a distance, whose company you have for- 
merly been used to have ; but I agree with thee it may perhaps be so 
wisely ordered for your preservation, and if you have the life of the 
blessed Head of his church circulating daily amongst you, what can 
you want more ! He can make up for the want of all outward helps ! 
This will keep you in a savory and consistent conduct and conversation^ 
in a pure and lively ministry, and in a faithful discipline, which may 
keep your camp clean ! 

I often think it was the want of a faithful exercise of the discipline, 
one hundred and thirty years ago, that let wrong things in ministry and 
practice creep in amongst us, and get rooted and spread a leavening influ- 
ence over others, whereby such universal gradual degeneracy overcame 
us ! And now to look at and consider well our Society, it resembles 



LETTER FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY. 459 

more than ever the other sects and professions that are in the world, 
except as being peculiar ! We are lamentably gone from that testimony 
against evil, which originally we were called to uphold. * * * * 
Our numbers are lessening, and younger ones do not so quickly rise up 
to fill their places. Whereas, those of the modern sort who are removed 
by death, are very rapidly succeeded by others in their spirit. 
I remain, with dear love to thee and wife, 

Thy faithful friend, Lydia A. Barclay. 



FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY TO J. W. 

Aberdeen, 24th of 4th mo., 1851. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

*#**##*j can fully enter into thy account of the 
laxity in practice and discipline in the larger body ; and I believe it will 
be more and more evident and conspicuous, as it is becoming with us 
in England, until we shall merge into the ways and spirit completely of 
the mass of other professors ; though perhaps the plain dress may be 
the last thing that may be given up to fall to the ground, inasmuch as 
it looks so plausible and sweet, and adds respect to us ! And I 
do not look for any relief to the oppressed remnant until this time 
shall come, and then I believe a faithful remnant will be gathered, 
out of the many lifeless professions (and ours among them) as in the 
beginning of our day ! And then Truth shall mightily increase and 
shine brightly ! I long that you, and all those who hold truly to ancient 
principles in our land, maybe close in watchfulness unto prayer for our 
mutual preservation in uprightness and in deep humility, even if we 
should see the fall of many ; for we know it is the Lord's power alone 
that can preserve us from falling, and his grace that shall be sufficient 
against all trials, and for every duty ! In thinking of our lapse, (as 
evinced by lifeless ministry, laxity of discipline, immorality, swerving 
from true simplicity and sincerity, inconsistency of practice as regards 
gravestones, manner of doing business, and not disowning in divers in- 
stances for marrying contrary to rules,) and of the shaking that there is in 
this country among the various professors, separations among the dis- 
senters, and increase of the Papists and Unitarians, I have been 
struck lately with a prophecy concerning the Papists, and moreover by 
a Popish priest, strange to say, (which appeared in the London Friend 
for 3d month,) it so remarkably coincides with that of Usher as well 
as reminds me of L. Godfrey's, both of which were in the British 
Friend last autumn. These are awful times, and wickedness and decep- 
tion were surely never at such a height as now in this country, and they 



460 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

must bring down Divine judgment sooner or later ! But whatever 
shakings and troubles and fearful sights may be in the world, there is 
comfort in remembering the language, " Thou wilt keep him in perfect 
peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee ! " 
Oh ! that we may then " trust in the Lord forever ; for in the Lord 
Jehovah is everlasting strength," bearing in mind that the true trust 
implies an humble yielding to his holy power ! ****** 
Thy nearly united friend, 

L. A. Barclay. 



[The person to whom the following letter was addressed, 
had since the commencement of the present troubles in our 
Society in New England, voluntarily introduced to the writer 
the subject of the disastrous tendency of the unsound doc- 
trines spread among us, and in the most unequivocal manner 
bore her testimony against them. But subsequently the writer 
was informed that she had changed her ground, and was giving 
her strength and support to those who were sustaining said 
doctrines and their author, and had come to be in full fellow- 
ship with them. This change in one whom he had esteemed 
and loved so well in the fellowship of that faith which chang- 
eth not, produced in him a deep concern for her safe standing, 
insomuch that he took two Friends with him and made her a 
visit at her own house. On this occasion he reminded her of 
that memorable account in Holy "Writ of the command to the 
ministers, the priests of the Lord, to stand firm upon the bot- 
tom of Jordan, with the Ark of the testimony upon their 
shoulders until the people had passed clean over Jordan ; — that 
if they had despaired and thrown the Ark of the testimony 
from their shoulders, it could not be mere presumption to 
suppose that Jordan would have returned and overwhelmed 
the priests and the people, and consequently no stones of me- 
morial could have been brought and set up at Gilgal ! But 
she attempted to vindicate her change, by saying that, when she 
had testified against the unsound doctrines, her service in that 
respect was accomplished; and she believed it to be her place 
to associate with those who hold and support them ; and that 
the writer ought to have done so likewise.] 



LETTER TO SOPHRONIA PAGE. 461 

FROM J. W. TO SOPHRONIA PAGE. 

Hopkinton, 6th mo., 2d, 1851. 

DEAR SOPHRONIA, 

I may well so address thee, inasmuch as the well-being and happi- 
ness of thy immortal spirit seems to be precious indeed to me, how 
then must the eternal salvation of thy soul appear to thee ? The true 
witness and testimony of God's power, if yet alive within thee will 
tell thee the Truth, if thou wilt only make a whole burnt offer- 
ing of thy own will unto the Lord thy God, he will yet, as I hope and 
trust, speak peace to thy soul, and thereby put an end to the strife of 
tongues within thee, and suffer thee no longer to strive with him 
i at the fountain of bitterness, vainly hoping in thy own way to draw 
sweet waters from thence, or to drink, as formerly, of the blessed 
overflowing of his cup of love and of life, when he was pleased to 
hand it in his own way and in his own time, to thy great refresh- 
ment and rejoicing, as well as to the consolation of the truly living 
ones in our Zion. Well, dear friend, it is, and ever was, an office 
both precious and honorable to be in the hand of the Lord a conduit 
through which he may please to pour forth the holy oil — the water of 
life upon his heritage ! And thou hast through the mercies of the Lord, 
well known that no man nor body of men can give of this holy substance 
but him alone, — not even patriarchs, nor prophets nor apostles, nor can 
ten thousand of them convey the least morsel of the bread of life, with- 
out Christ the Lord first give it to them, and commission them to give 
it, when he will and to whom he will, and in such measure as he 
will. And thou hast clearly seen, my dear friend, that whatsoever 
has been given or attempted to be given, without such a commission 
at the time, has been but poor and dry and dead, administering no 
life or nourishment to a hungry soul, and can be no better than the 
husks which swine feed upon. Nor can the ministers of Christ ever 
devise or assign to themselves a path to walk in, or a field of 
labor, though in their own apprehension more profitable, because more 
extensive, than the narrow path, or as it may appear to them the more 
limited ground of the Lord's own appointment ! Alas ! for these de- 
ceived and mistaken ones ; because their own contrivance, their own 
devices in their own wisdom, whilst they are distrusting the guidance 
of the true Shepherd, has ever, and must always bewilder and lead 
them into darkness — and then feeling wise in themselves they must 
needs take the lead and go before the blessed Shepherd, and strive 
with him for leave to do so, confiding in the largeness of their own 
capacity for receiving much and giving much, and in their ability for 
39 * 



462 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

the occupancy of a large field of labor. To these, however eminently 
gifted they may have been, the Lord will not give his glory nor his 
praise, because they have chosen the praises of men and the friendship 
of the multitude, rather than an humble and lowly walking with a cru- 
cified Saviour. I feel a desire to call thy attention again now, at this 
solemn season, in a most brotherly manner, to a suggestion of thine, when 
I last saw thee ; to wit, that inasmuch as thou and I both had a testimony 
to bear against the unsound doctrines abroad in our Society, that when 
(like thyself) I had clearly borne that testimony, I ought then to have 
gone on and joined hands with those who were upholding those un- 
sound views ! And I would be glad to know how such reasoning looks 
to thee at the present time. We know that sound argument and good 
reasoning were much resorted to by the holy men of old, by Christ and 
his apostles, and also by our first Friends ; but always (and never 
more than at the present time) avoided by those who were disposed to 
support error. The preaching and parables of Christ, were truly an 
exemplification of the soundest of argument and of divine reasoning, 
as were the Lord's testimonies by all the prophets and apostles ; and I 
would ask, did his or their practice ever contradict their testimonies ? 
Did the prophets, after they had faithfully warned the people against 
idolatry, go hand in hand with them up to their house of worship ? 
"What an extensive field of labor stood open to Elijah and Micaiah, 
would they only have associated with those great multitudes of priests 
and worshippers of Baal. Nay, rather than to dishonor God by such 
an association and fellowship, they would be driven to the most solitary 
situation and to prison. But had those who had once testified against 
idolatry, now joined in fellowship with its worshippers, how greatly 
would their example have strengthened such an heresy ; and how dis- 
pleasing in the sight of God, that the messengers whom he had chosen 
and sent to preach against heresy, should join in fellowship with the 
abettors of it ! When our worthy predecessors, the first Friends, tes- 
tified against the errors of the formal professors, they came out from 
them, and never again associated with them. But, is there not yet a 
ray of hope for thee, that although thou hast, without good reason, thrown 
the Ark of the Lord's testimonies from thy shoulders, where himself in 
abundant mercy had caused it to rest, is there not a way yet left thee 
whereby the Lord will deign by his almighty power and through his 
tender love to recover it for thee, if thou wilt in all submission fall 
down at his feet in the needful self-abasement, so that the waters of 
Jordan may not return until thou hast passed clean over ! Oh ! fee] for 
the bottom thereof with weeping and with prayer and fasting, beseech- 
ing of Him who died for us that he would forgive thee, and give thee 
thy feet again, and strength to step forward through this mighty river, so 



LETTER FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY. 463 

essential to be waded by all the inhabitants of the holy city, or I fear it 
will overwhelm thee. That a victory may be thy happy experience, is 
the sincere desire and prayer of the writer of these lines ; and whether 
attained or not, one thing I believe to be possible, for thee to avouch the 
testimony again which thy Redeemer once gave thee to bear against 
those pernicious sentiments that have so lamentably scattered the Lord's 
people. And remember, I entreat thee, how much help to the Lord's 
cause, and how well pleasing to him would be such a renewed testimony 
against those sad doctrines which have so sorrowfully divided us in 
Jacob and scattered us in Israel. 

I should be truly glad to hear from thee and how it is with thee every 
way. 

From thy affectionate friend and true well wisher, 

John Wilbur. 



FROM LTDIA A. BARCLAY TO J. W. 

Aberdeen, 25th of 7th mo., 1851. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, / 

***** There is need of faithful 

standard-bearers amongst us, for there seemed at this Yearly Meeting, 
but a mere handful on the women's side, who would put a spoke in the 

wheel for the Truth ! We missed dear and much, 

so that H. M., R. R. and L. C. were the only ones that took any active 
part on the ancient side ; as for my poor self, I am so deaf I am of 
little use, yet was mercifully enabled to lift up my vocal trumpet twice 
in our sittings, and twice in the select ones, to my relief and peace how- 
ever unworthy. We were favored, I thought, with more of quiet this 
year than sometimes ; perhaps the presence (or rather inward, deep 
travail of spirit) of the two dear Philadelphia Friends might have an 
overawing effect, and tend to keep down the light and chaffy ; for some 
that are rather light-weighted were wholly silent! But poor A. B. 
nothing checks her, and she spoke some days ten times, so as even to 
try some of the junior class, as I heard ! * * * * * 

I had hoped that Philadelphia Yearly Meeting would have made a 
stand this year, but I suppose the conservative influence was too strong ; 
and then they are losing some valiants such as dear Christopher Healy ; 
so that I fear lest weakness may overtake all that Yearly Meeting, and it 
may sink into the common mass of modified Quakers and carry Ohio 
with it ! Our own state is deplorable indeed, and becoming more and 
more vile in the estimation of the world, who now justly look upon us 
as a sect like others ; and so it would seem we are, seeing in a mass 
we are so greatly degenerated and gone back to the door of the house 



464 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

of bondage, and the outer court whence our forefathers were brought 
out, to partake of the true liberty and pure life and holy worship of the 
inner temple J ***** * 

It would be a great comfort to meet in a little purified capacity as 
you do, but our time is not yet fully come to be delivered ; and we must 
not rush forward in our own creaturely will or wisdom, lest the query 
should go forth, " Who hath required this at your hand ? " I believe 
we are rapidly drawing nearer and nearer a precipice, by which we 
may get clear of our encumbering oppression, but in what way I do 
not yet see — certainly not by the Episcopalians seeing their error and 
returning to first principles ; such a thing is not at all likely. We have 
a committee of six to visit Scotland, from the Yearly Meeting expected 
at our General Meeting next month. * * * * 

But alas ! human wisdom is set to work in the nomination of these 
committees ; and then man's convenience, riches, will, or influence is 
looked at, instead of the qualifications of the spirit of Christ — the 
judgment and discernment for the Truth ; so what can we expect ! 

Oh ! that we may be graciously permitted to meet in the heavenly 
country, where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at 
rest ! Thy steady friend, 

L. A. Barclay. 



FEOII J. W. TO BENJAMIN SEEBOHM.* 

Hopkinton, 10th mo., 1851. 

TO BENJAMIX SEEBOHM, RESPECTED FKIEX'D, 

When thou called at our house, thy time, as it appeared, did not 
admit, as I desired, of a personal conversation upon the unhappy dissen- 
sion and interruption of harmony which has of late so troubled the So- 
ciety of Friends. And inasmuch as a concern has rested with me, 
not only on account of the perilous condition in which the church under 
our name has become involved ; but on thy account as an individual, 
and the part thou hast been reported to have taken and acted, in sup- 
porting the ground and cause of the dissension so rife in the Society, 
I saw no way (under the circumstance of thy having so soon embarked 
for England) for the relief of my own mind, but this, of resorting to 
pen and paper. I have many times quietly passed over its revival, 

* The original draft of this letter was found among J. "W.'s papers apparently in an 
unfinished state; but the present copy is believed to be nearly as it was sent, so far as 
it goes. It may also be here stated in regard to a few other of his letters of this class, 
that inasmuch as he generally kept the first essay for his own copy, from which those 
sent were transcribed, it is very probable that he may have made some changes in the 
language; — but these are believed not to be material, or to embrace any matter of im- 
portance. 



LETTER TO BENJAMIN SEEBOHM. 465 

under an apprehension that probably I might, in time, feel clear in the 
omission of it ; but now, after so much time has elapsed, I still feel the 
conviction that it will not only conduce to the peace of my own mind, 
to address thee on the subject, but that the time for it has come, how- 
ever incompetent I am to do justice to the great and good cause. 

First then, my friend, thou wilt not presume to plead ignorance or 
the want of understanding the ground and occasion of trouble in our 
Society. 

The original doctrines of Friends have been indefinitely called in 
question, and declared defective, by a late noted writer of the Society 
in thy own country ; and not only so, many of those doctrines have 
been severally perverted by the same writer ; and his views thereon 
have been sent to all parts of the Society for their reception instead of 
the original doctrines of Friends, thereby gainsaying those of Fox, 
Barclay, Penn, and Pennington ; and assuming himself to be wiser than 
they in relation to the things of God's kingdom, his way and means of 
redemption and of man's salvation, and thus controverting many of the 
doctrines approved by the whole body of those deeply proved, largely 
qualified, and highly experienced Friends of the early days of the So- 
ciety, whose doctrines were clearly proved to be in perfect conformity 
with the sacred volume, and whose views had also been sanctioned by 
the Society, not only individually but collectively, by the respective 
Yearly Meetings for nearly two centuries. It is no creditable thing 
then for an individual of our time, to suppose himself better qualified 
to define the doctrines of Truth, than they were, and to come forward 
subsequently to their leaving the stage of action in this world to pro- 
mulgate different sentiments from theirs in the Society. But for this 
writer to assume the right of controverting the ancient Friends' doc- 
trine, and at the same time to deny every body the right of contro- 
verting his own, seems very unfair and absurd. And the rigorous 
way of dealing, and the perversion of judgment that was meted out to 
those who thought they had a better right, and were under greater obli- 
gation, to make a stand against the new doctrines, than he had to gain- 
say those of George Fox and his friends, sufficiently proves the degen- 
erate condition of those authorities which, though in want of principle, 
were not in want of disposition to visit persecution upon honest Friends 
for their faithfulness to the ancient doctrine. No better evidence, there- 
fore, need be adduced to prove that such are disciples of the author of 
those new doctrines, and that the doctrines themselves, and the practical 
results of them, are not very strikingly marked with Christianity — a 
corollary which stands in no fear of being refuted. Nor can it be sup- 
posed by the part thou hast taken in this country so decidedly, and for 
so long a time, that thou would be in any way inclined to deny, or dis- 



466 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

posed to refute the proposition, that the larger body in New England 
are proselytes to the new doctrines ; on which ground alone, either 
their course, or thy own, can be accounted for. 

It has been shown, by the most authentic and able public documents, 
that thy countryman, aforesaid, has advanced and published sentiments 
perversive of the principles of Friends, as above stated, and it is clear 
that such sentiments have been so largely imbibed by the members of 
our Society, and adopted by so many, as to produce the sad disunity 
that exists so extensively within its borders. Hence we see something 
of the immense responsibility, if not of the condemnation that must 
have rested upon the author of those views, not merely because of the 
disunity, but because of the apostasy of principle that has been con- 
sequent upon the dissemination of such sentiments. Inasmuch then 
as (like Jeroboam) he has caused Israel to sin, his accountability is 
great. 

Howbeit, the condemnation that rests upon him, does not acquit 
those who, (like Adam from Eve,) have received the forbidden fruit 
from his hands. But the degree of condemnation, we are taught, must 
be in proportion to the measure of light and knowledge which the 
receiver had been favored with. 

He that has known the blessed effects and operations of the life and 
power of Truth upon his own heart, and has through the obedience of 
faith profited by such favor to the drawing of the inner man into the 
newness of life, if he afterwards become so beguiled by the enemy, 
through man's wisdom, or otherwise, as to fall from this condition, and 
to step aside from the restraints of the narrow way, and like other pro- 
fessors, to look more to the letter than to the power of the Spirit, then 
is he prepared to receive the new doctrine and to throw off the restraints 
of the cross of Christ. 

Such an one having departed from his former good experience and 
enlisted into the new views, is not unlikely to become very zealous in 
propagating them, and if so, may in time be exceedingly reprehensible ; 
and especially if his heart become so callous toward his brother that 
holds fast to the Truth, that he is even capable of enmity or persecu- 
tion. Then he that imparteth and he that receiveth of such fruit 
become of one cast, and if the receiver do all in his power to promote 
the views and interests of him who imparteth, his accountability must 
be the same in kind if not in degree. 

But it hath been said, and I think with good reason, that thy coun- 
tryman, above referred to, has done more harm to the Society of Friends, 
than any other individual in that land had ever done since its first 
organization. Now, my friend, let us consider the responsibility of the 
ministers of Christ, and how solemn the inquiry and consideration of 



LETTER FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY. 467 

how far we have been fulfilling such high and holy calling, purely 
under his leading and direction. But I must say to thee that I do feel 
constrained by the requirements of such a calling, which can be exer- 
cised only in the love of Christ for the help of one-another, (and should 
be in honesty and plainness of speech, and in such language as truth 
dictates,) and in great meekness it is, that I want to ask thee, whether 
thou hast not in the course of thy long visit here in America, labored 
industriously to support the cause of the new doctrines and the interest 
of those who have identified themselves with them, and in sustaining 
the character of their author as a minister of the gospel in our Society ? 
And if such be the case, (to which I am persuaded thou wilt accede,) 
I feel bound to say to thee that I fear an immense weight of respon- 
sibility rests upon thee ! and that nothing short of sincere repentance 
can avail thee of the blessed favor of becoming reconciled to God by 
the death of his Son, that so being reconciled thou may by his life be 
saved from the judgments to come ! Oh ! my friend, if the New Tes- 
tament is true, and the doctrines of our first Friends (so entirely con- 
formable thereto) are true, then J. J. Gurney was wrong, and promul- 
gated many palpable and dangerous errors, which if adopted and sup- 
ported by those who have once known the Truth as it is in Jesus, must 
expose them to great condemnation. 

His efforts to destroy our faith in one of the great fundamentals of 
Christianity and of primitive Quakerism (by his own attempted trans- 
lation of the Greek version of those passages in Holy Writ so plain 
and irrefragable in demonstration of the blessed doctrine of Christ in 
man the hope of glory — Christ the true light, &c.) was painful to hon- 
est Friends, resorting, as he did, to such perversions as even our ene- 
mies in George Fox's time, did not resort to. * * * * 



FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY TO J. W. 

Aberdeen, 12th, 11th mo., 1851. 
****** j t wou id k e a relief to a remnant here could 
we also be outwardly united together, but our numbers are so small, 
and decreasing rapidly, that we can only mourn in secret ! and I fear 
since the visits of the late travellers from New England, that their 
influence and preaching tends to this decrease; they have been greatly 
extolled, and by such as I should have thought would have seen or 
felt through them better ! They came here when I was in the North, 
in the 9th mo., and I was not sorry to escape them. Ah ! I cannot 
think well of a holding up our ancient Friends and apparently preach- 
ing of old doctrines, if there be not a testimony felt and upheld against 
J. J. Gurney's doctrines; it seems to me inconsistent, however plausible 



468 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

things may appear! * * * * * j should have 
thought the sound Friends of Philadelphia would have seen through 
that contrivance of the leading conservatives to shut out the reading 
of jour document last year; it is what we have for some years been 
suffering from ! whatever is not relished in upper quarters has the 
extinguisher placed on it thus, whether it be a ministerial testimony 
or a disciplinary proposition! But . they should have introduced it 
again, for such hasty doings are against our principle of waiting for 
Divine direction ! I fear the Friends thereaway will learn all our 
bad ways, and thus bring great suffering to the honest-hearted, great 
hurt to the young, (notwithstanding all their plausible endeavors to 
the contrary,) and great hinderance to the cause of Truth, and I fear 
it will be in vain the honest-hearted waiting till others are removed 
by death ; for like begets its like, and the work of baptizing into a 
similar conservative or unsound spirit is going on apace the while ! 
And the dear Friends of Ohio, oh ! how undesirable for them to be 
pinning their faith upon the sleeve of the Philadelphians ! it will not 
do to be leaning so on a reverend father or dear friend ; thus the 
true plumbness for the cause is lost and weakness rushes in like a 
mighty torrent. ***** May the Lord preserve 
the faithful, humble ones in your land, wherever scattered and however 
tried ! and when thou art favored with breathing heavenward, crave 
the help of the little remnant of tried ones in this land ! 

In that precious bond which death has no power over, I remain thy 
nearly united and affectionate friend, 

Ltdia A. Barclay. 



REFERENCE TO LABORS FROM 1845 TO 1851. 469 



CHAPTER VII. 

VISITS IN PENNSYLVANIA, NEW JERSEY, AND NEW YORK, IN 1852 AND 
1853, AND FURTHER CORRESPONDENCE. 

My account of the proceedings of New England Yearly 
Meeting and its committees, from 1840 to 1845, recorded in a 
book entitled " A Narrative and Exposition, &c," gives a 
plain statement of the trials and sufferings which I endured 
for that time, from the hands of false brethren, because of my 
conscientiously bearing testimony against the unsound doc- 
trines that were written by members of the Society in England, 
and allowed by Friends there to be spread largely throughout 
all our settlements, both in Europe and in America ; by which 
means this people seem to be rapidly approximating towards 
an apostasy from their first principles ; but it is hoped and be- 
lieved that a few will be spared for the upholding of the same 
blessed faith and doctrines of pure Christianity which were 
received and promulgated, through the faithfulness of a very 
few, at first, two centuries ago. 

Since the separation in New England Yearly Meeting, 
which occurred in 1845, and of which ample accounts have 
been published, I have been much of the time engaged in 
visiting all the Quarterly and Monthly Meetings, as well as 
the particular meetings of those Friends, in their different 
allotments, who were favored, through great mercy, to with- 
stand the torrent of unsound doctrine ; some of them I have 
attended many times over, laboring, in the ability afforded, 
for the furtherance and establishment of their minds in the 
true profession of primitive Christianity, and in standing fast 
in the faith, testimonies, and practices thereof, as did our 
worthy predecessors. I have, also, during these six years, 
held many meetings among people of other denominations, 
in different parts of New England, in which service I was 
40 



470 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

favored to witness the good Shepherd to go before, and his 
helping hand to be extended, for the upholding of his testi- 
monies among the people. 

During the year 1851, I felt drawings in my mind towards 
Friends of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, and this concern in 
gospel love had so matured, that it appeared best to lay it be- 
fore Friends at our Monthly Meeting, in the first mo., 1852, 
when I obtained their certificate of concurrence, in order for 
religious service in some parts of Pennsylvania and New 
Jersey, and this certificate was indorsed by Rhode Island 
Quarterly Meeting, held in the second month following. 

For the accomplishment of this service I left home on sec- 
ond day, the 23d, and went that night to New York, where, 
next morning, I met with my dear friend William Hill, who 
has kindly given up to accompany me, and assist in the per- 
formance of this service. 

We took the cars at Jersey City, and went to Trenton 
where some Friends from Pennsylvania met us, and we went 
together to the house of our dear friend Sarah Healy, and 
soon after dinner set out for Buckingham with her, and our 
friend Benjamin Cadwallader. We lodged that night at the 
late dwelling of Ruth Ely, with three of her grandchildren. 
Next day attended the Select Quarterly Meeting, and on fifth 
day the public Quarterly Meeting, which was, as I trust, a 
time of favor. I was largely opened on the passage, " Blow 
ye the trumpet in Zion, proclaim a fast," &c. My certificates 
were readily received in both the men's and women's meetings. 

The work before us looks formidable, and our steppings along 
perilous, so that an entire trust in the Divine guidance and 
strength is, above all things, to be desired. It seems likely 
that this service may be the hardest of this kind that I have 
met with in the course of my pilgrimage in time ; but I recur 
to the consideration that he who putteth forth can control the 
wrath of man, and make hard things easy ; therefore I desire 
to trust in him. 

On sixth and seventh days we made some social visits to 
the families of Friends. On first day morning we went to the 
meeting at Falsington, which was large, and I was consider- 
ably opened in gospel authority among them, greatly to the' 



OBJECTION TO THE RECEPTION OF HIS CREDENTIALS. 471 

relief, peace, and comfort of my own mind, and, as it appeared, 
to the satisfaction of Friends present, many of whom went 
with us to Middletowa in the afternoon ; but this was rather 
a laborious meeting, made up of Friends, Gurneyites, Hicks- 
ites and Methodists ; yet I labored with this mixed multitude 
for some length of time, after long silence, but not to the 
obtaining of so much satisfaction as in the morning. From 
hence we went home with our dear friend George W. Brown, 
and lodged. On second day morning he went with us to 
Philadelphia. A short time after our arrival, a prominent 
Friend residing in the city, with whom I had some previous 
acquaintance called to see us, and, after the usual salutation, 
referred to the reading of my certificate at Bucks Quarterly 
Meeting, and also to the appointing of a meeting for me at 
Middletown, and spoke of it as a violation of the conclusion 
of the Yearly Meeting of Ministers and Elders, and as an 
act of insubordination in the Friends of that Quarterly Meet- 
ing. I told him, " that there were probably different opinions 
on that subject; that Philadelphia Yearly Meeting undoubt- 
edly had a right to manage their own concerns, but that I 
hardly thought it best for us to go into a discussion of the 
subject at this time," — thinking it too soon on coming into 
the city to take up such a subject as this. He did not say 
that I must not appoint any meetings, or offer my certificate ; 
but I supposed he meant it. 

On third day we were at the North Meeting, in which I 
had good service ; and I have no doubt it was to the satisfac- 
tion of the sound Friends, and to the stopping of the mouths 
of the gainsayers. David, at a certain time, desired the Lord 
to " show him a token for good, that his enemies might see 
it and be ashamed." Though not asked by me, I trust I 
have, in some degree, realized such favor here in this city, 
where there are many enemies to primitive Quakerism. 

On fourth day we went to Orange Street Meeting, through 
which I sat in profound silence, no spring of the gospel 
arising. Dined at William Evans's, and next day attended 
Arch Street Meeting, in which I had open service in declaring 
the Truth. On sixth day morning, the 5th of 3d mo., I wrote 
a note to the Friend who first met me in the city, testifying 
against my being recognized as a minister with a certificate, 



472 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

desiring him to give me his objections, in writing', against 
my being so accredited, in order that by having such objec- 
tions at once before me, I might seriously consider the im- 
port of them. After this we set out for New Jersey, and 
went over the ferry to Moorestown, to our dear friends Eb- 
enezer and Rachel Roberts. A number of Friends came 
there for the purpose of welcoming us to this land, and it 
was indeed comforting and strengthening to us to meet with 
these dear fellow-sufferers, and to commune with them in 
the precious fellowship of the gospel. We went this after- 
noon to the house of our dear friend Josiah R. Reeve, at 
Medford, and it was very comfortable to us to lodge several 
nights under his roof. The next day after coming here we at- 
tended Upper Evesham Monthly Meeting, in which my good 
Master gave me such an opening as he had never given me 
before. It was concerning the destroying angel passing over 
the land of Egypt, and the assurance that all who abode not 
in their tents should perish of the devouring pestilence. The 
Lord is thy tent, O Jacob, and thy tabernacle, O Israel! — 
the only safe abidance whilst the destroying angel is now 
passing over our Israel. But, truly, there are, among the 
leaders of this large Monthly Meeting, those who have eyes, 
but see not, and ears, but hear not, and are, apparently, com- 
pletely entangled by leading characters in the city, and made 
to think that the Yearly Meeting has actually laid a prohi- 
bition upon all the subordinate meetings not to read certifi- 
cates from any one coming from New England, as a minister, 
however well authorized by the great Head of the church he 
may be, notwithstanding the notable decision of Philadelphia 
Yearly Meeting in 1849, in regard to the separation in New 
England. Nevertheless, many Friends did faithfully advocate 
the reading of my credentials ; but the clerk, who seemed to 
act uprightly, was obliged to pass over it. I believe, however, 
that all who hesitated expressed full unity with me and my 
testimony. One old Friend, who said the most against read- 
ing my certificates, on the ground of the supposed prohibition 
of the Yearly Meeting, came to me afterwards and expressed 
much unity with me, saying they were in a bad condition 
about New England certificates ! On first day, the 7th, we 
went to Lower Evesham meeting, which was a highly fa- 



HADDONFIELD MONTHLY AND QUARTERLY MEETINGS. 473 

vored time, nor did I ever notice a more profound silence to 
prevail than after I took my seat, or greater attention whilst I 
was speaking. In the opening, these words forcibly impressed 
my mind, " Thy will be done on earth, as it is done in heaven ; " 
and in the course of my testimony, it was shown to be the 
Lord's will that his church militant should be pure and holy, 
like his church triumphant. 

We spent the afternoon with our aged friend Hinchman 
Haines, at his own house, and from thence went that night to 
Ebenezer Roberts's, to lodge. On second day, the 8th, we 
went to Haddonfield Monthly Meeting — a dark time, indeed, 
and the darkness was such as to be felt by us both, and very 
oppressive ; so much so that no public testimony could be 
borne there at that time. But I told them in the Meeting for 
business that I had a few lines from my Mends at home, set- 
ting forth their unity with me, and their concurrence with my 
prospect of service in these parts, and, if desired, it would be 
produced ; but two or three said the reception of it would be 
contrary to the conclusion of the Yearly Meeting, and so they 
passed immediately on with their business. We attended 
their Monthly Meeting, at Moorestown, on third day — an at- 
mosphere very different to us from that of the place we were at 
the day before (where, however, there are undoubtedly some 
valuable Friends.) At Moorestown, Truth rose into dominion 
in the public meeting, and the presence of the Lord was felt 
to overshadow the assembly ; and although there were one or 
two, in the meeting for business, who objected to the reading 
of my certificate, so many voices called for it that the clerk 
felt his way entirely clear to read it, and it was read in both 
the men's and women's meetings. Next morning the Penn- 
sylvania Friends, from whom it seemed hard parting, left for 
home whilst we were about to leave for Haddonfield Quar- 
terly Meeting. In the Quarterly Meeting of Ministers and 
Elders I was silent, but some preaching they had which was 
not very savory to me, and the meeting was dull and painful 
rather than otherwise. The public meeting next day, was, I 
believe, the largest Quarterly Meeting that I ever attended in 
America, and would have been a favored one, as I apprehend, 
but for a sad interruption. When I was about to rise, with 
a clear opening, a minister arose, and held forth a long time, 

40* 



474 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

and in a tiresome manner, which so jostled the ark that I 
was ready to think, for a time, that it would not be recovered ; 
however, sitting quietly for some time, my prospect again 
opened, and although the meeting had been long sitting, I had 
some good service among them. At the opening of the Meet- 
ing for business, Hinchman Haines and Ebenezer Roberts 
both spoke so fully in our favor, and of their confirmation 
that we from New England belonged to a church of which 
Christ is the head, that I felt easy not to offer my credentials, 
having so recently offered them to their Monthly Meeting at 
this place. After this meeting we returned to Philadelphia. 

Sixth day, the 12th. — William Hill left me this morning to 
go home for a few days, and during his absence I stayed 
awhile in the city, and on this and the day following visited 
some friends and wrote to my friends at home. On first day 
morning I attended Arch Street Meeting, and was so merci- 
fully favored in testimony as to bring great peace of mind, 
and had the acknowledgment from dear W. H. Jr., of his unity 
therewith. Afternoon, at the North Meeting, silent. On 
second day morning, before leaving for Frankford, I incident- 
ally met with the Friend who met me on my arrival in the 
city, and to whom I had since sent a note. I now took occa- 
sion to say to him that I had been in expectation of a letter 
from him, giving his reasons, in writing, why a minister coming 
from us could not be recognized within Philadelphia Yearly 
Meeting. He said that he had already given me the whole 
reason verbally, to wit : that the Select Yearly Meeting 
came to the conclusion that no minister coming from New 
England should be recognized until the question should be 
decided which of the parties were the legitimate body of 
Friends; he said he saw no way for any minister coming 
from the " smaller body " to be recognized here, or to be allowed 
to appoint meetings. I told him it would be a great hard- 
ship to a minister coming here in the right authority, to be 
obliged to be detained from one meeting day to another, and 
not be allowed to appoint meetings. He said he thought 
there was no help for it. I asked him a few questions, and 
the interview ended, and I went to Frankford, where I spent 
several days ; attending their meeting, writing to my valued 
friend Lydia A. Barclay, at Aberdeen, and also to the Friend 



REPLY TO OBJECTIONS TO HIS RECEPTION. 475 

above alluded to ; the latter not to be forwarded until inspected 
by some solid Friends. Meantime, I returned to the city, and 
went with several Friends out to Plymouth, to see the widow 
of my dear deceased friend Ezra Comfort, whom I visited, 
with a number of her children, and attended their little meet- 
ing on first day, all to good satisfaction. On the same evening 
I returned to the city, and, after due examination, sent my 
letter to the Friend, as follows : 

Frankford, 3d mo., 17th, 1852. 

TO MY DEAR FRIEND, , 

Not having contemplated going into the subject which thou intro- 
duced to me on my arrival in Philadelphia on the 1st inst., I was not 
prepared for a discussion of it at that time ; nor do I yet feel compe- 
tent, by any means, to speak of it in a manner commensurate with its 
importance ; but, inasmuch as it nearly relates to my present concern 
and. religious service in these parts, I did, on a little reflection, feel a 
desire to see thy view of the whole case, stated at once on paper, in- 
cluding the ground of thine and others' objections, (if other there be,) 
to the recognition of sound ministers from what is called the " smaller 
body " in New England. Hence the occasion of my note to thee on 
the oth, and of my saying to thee, on our incidental meeting on second 
day last, that I was in expectation of a letter from thee. Now, should 
I have understood thee to say, that thou had given me the whole 
ground of objection at the first interview, to wit, the conclusion of 
your Yearly Meeting of Ministers and Elders, and that it was there- 
fore unnecessary to give it in writing ? And when I asked the ques- 
tion, whether your Yearly Meeting of Ministers and Elders were 
authorized, by your discipline, to dictate the proceedings of your sub- 
ordinate meetings for discipline, was I correct in understanding thee to 
say that it was not so authorized ? And further, when I asked thee if 
any prohibition was laid, or had been laid, upon our ministers being 
countenanced in appointing meetings within your Yearly Meeting, did 
I rightly understand thee to say there had been none ? And, did I 
correctly understand thee to say, notwithstanding what thou had before 
stated (as the ground of objection), that thou didst not see any way 
that we could be availed of our rights, until we should be acknowledged 
by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting ? Again acknowledged ? And was 
this consequence considered in the decision of the Select Yearly Meet- 
ing ? And was there, or was there not, any future act of the Yearly 
Meeting, alluded to at the time when such conclusion was come to ? 
And was there ever any record made of such conclusion, or when its 
effects should terminate ? or any official account of it sent down to 



476 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

Quarterly or Monthly Meetings ? And should I not understand that 
such conclusion looked forward to such time as when the Yearly Meet- 
ing should examine the New England case, "and decide the important 
question of right and wrong between the two bodies ? We, on the one 
part, are well satisfied with the language of the " Report " adopted by 
your Yearly Meeting, viz : that " Common justice and the cause of 
Truth demand that the claims of each should be impartially exam- 
ined," and " that it becomes the duty of the Society, under the guid- 
ance of Divine wisdom, to inquire into the circumstances of the case, 
so that it may not withhold from those to whom they may belong the 
precious rights and privileges which membership in our Society con- 
fers." This I understand as a plain prelude and reference to their 
decision of the case, an account of which decision immediately follows 
this extract from the document containing the Report — see pages from 
29 to 38 — unnecessary, and too long to be all quoted here ; but which we 
understood to be, and still understand to be, an able and clear, as well 
as candid, decision of the case between those who had stood fast in the 
support of the doctrines and discipline of the Society, and those who 
had violated both ; setting forth which of the parties was entitled to 
acknowledgement by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, and confirmed by 
a pertinent quotation from Robert Barclay. 

But I feel as if it would be right to refer to a few items more, in 
this remarkable summary of their decision. Page 31 it says, "If con- 
sistent and exercised members are not to be allowed to declare their 
dissent from unsound doctrines, then farewell to the maintenance of any 
sound doctrine in the church of Christ." " This would be an inlet to 
the greatest innovations, and, in time, might overturn the Society." 

Again, " Although the manner in which this separation was effected 
was not such as we think affords a precedent safe to be followed in the 
organization of a Yearly Meeting, yet, inasmuch as those Friends 
which compose the smaller body, appear to have acted from a sincere 
desire to maintain the doctrines and discipline of the Society, and the 
rights secured by it to all its members, and had been subjected to pro- 
ceedings oppressive in their character, and in violation of the acknowl- 
edged principles of our church government, we believe that they 
continue to be entitled to the rights of membership, and to such ac- 
knowledgment by their brethren as may be necessary for securing the 
enjoyment of those rights." 

First, then, I might remark that the manner of this separation was 
not contrived by any concert of our people, but as way appeared to be 
made for it, by the hand of a gracious Providence, for our deliverance ; 
but, truly, as you say, " it was the course pursued by them, (the Gur- 
neyites,) in these transactions, which led to a separation." And, inas- 



EEPLY TO OBJECTIONS TO HIS RECEPTION. 477 

much as there never has been any rule laid down as a " precedent " to 
be followed in a deliverance of those who serve the Lord from those 
who serve him not, there have seldom any two cases, among all that 
have transpired, been alike, but often very different ; nor was the New 
England separation contemplated, on our part, as an imitation of any 
other, or to be a precedent for any hereafter to adopt ; and we agree 
with you that it might, therefore, be unsafe to attempt to follow it, in 
manner and form, in different cases. 

Circumstances have been so different, from the earliest time, in those 
cases where the Lord's people had lapsed into great error, that we be- 
hold the variety of ways which he has devised for the deliverance of 
those who feared him from those who were involved in error and dark- 
ness. 

Second, "that they continue to be entitled to the rights of mem- 
bership, and to such acknowledgment by their brethren as may be 
necessary for securing the enjoyment of those rights." This we under- 
stand not to have been said to those of the " larger body," whom both 
you and we have testified against, but to those of the " smaller body," 
that they continue to be (as they had been) members of the Society, 
and entitled to the rights of membership, and to such acknowledgment 
by their brethren as may be necessary for securing the enjoyment of 
those rights. 

We understand that when this case was submitted to the Meeting 
for Sufferings, it was for the purpose of so inquiring into the facts and 
circumstances connected with the division in New England, as that the 
Yearly Meeting might know how to decide understandingly which body 
should be accredited as the legitimate body of Friends. And was their 
report, so clearly awarding to each body its due, received as satisfactory 
by the Yearly Meeting ? And, if their representation of the proceed- 
ings of the " smaller body " is correct, why not accredit the least and 
humblest of the Lord's messengers coming from thence, if their ex- 
ample is good, and their ministry savory ? 

Now, in a view of what you have done of this sort, collectively and 
individually, I should scarcely have thought, (but for thy suggestions,) 
that there had been a man living, seeing it, that would have charged 
anybody with insubordination to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, for 
recognizing the least member of the " smaller body " in New England, 
in whatever capacity he may fairly stand. 

Finally, my dear friend, should it fall to thy lot, as an arbiter, to 
decide in a case between two parties, the one consisting of ten persons, 
and the other of ten thousand, when thou had' obtained a good under- 
standing of it, and found the lesser number to be right, and the larger 
to be wrong, how long would thou be disposed to hesitate in the award- 



478 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

ing of justice to the smaller number, — and that, without looking at 
consequences that might or might not follow ? 

From thy friend, John Wilbur. 

After writing the foregoing letter I felt easy to go forward, 
and to propose the appointment of meetings when they did 
not come in course ; nor were we refused, at any place where 
we desired it ; and thereby were enabled to have a meeting 
every day, until we returned from the country into the city 
again. 

On second day, the 22d of 3d mo., I attended the funeral 
of my dear young friend Rebecca Brown, formerly Rebecca 
Kite, a valuable young woman. She was attacked with 
erysipelas in the face, and died in about one week's time. 
I was silent at this funeral. Next day I attended the Monthly 
Meeting for the northern district and was mercifully helped 
to support the best of causes. Elizabeth Pitneld followed me 
sweetly. In the Meeting for business, I mentioned my having 
a few lines from my friends at home, setting forth their unity 
with me, and approbation of my present engagements. A 
lengthy discussion ensued ; some objecting, whilst others feel- 
ingly advocated the reading of my credentials, but there was 
so much objection that it was passed over. Some untrue 
statements were made by the Gurneyites, as to what was in 
the " Report," whereupon the document itself was offered by 
a Friend, to prove those statements to be unfounded. 

W. Hill returned this afternoon ; and on fourth day, the 
24th, we left the city, and the same day attended Whiteland 
Meeting, which was an open time, and after meeting, dined 
with David Cope ; he had been very sick, but was now recov- 
ering, and glad to see us, and we, him. He remarked that it 
was my lot, in the ordering of a good Providence, to come 
amongst them, and said that all honest Friends would be truly 
glad of our coming, and would be strengthened by it. Sam- 
uel Cope met us here, and took us to his house at Bradford, 
where we stayed all night, and next morning attended their 
mid-week meeting at West Chester. Here I had pretty close, 
searching labor, but some encouragement was offered to the 
faithful, whilst those who are inclined to depart from our doc- 
trine were feelingly warned ; and it seemed very trying to be 



VISIT TO WESTOWN SCHOOL. 479 

embodied with such. After this meeting we dined at Hannah 
Gibbons's, many other Friends being there with us. From 
hence, Samuel Cope took us in his carriage to Westown 
School, where I met with three of my grandchildren. Next 
day we went to Goshen Meeting, where " mouth and wis- 
dom " were mercifully given. Seventh day, 28th, had a meet- 
ing at Willistown, small and silent as to the ministry. Sam- 
uel Cope met us, and took us to his own house that night, 
and next day, 1st of the week, we attended their meeting at 
Bradford, where we found assembled a large number of peo- 
ple, unto whom the testimony of Truth flowed forth freely, 
in the demonstration of the Spirit, and not without the author- 
ity, as I trust; and peace and joy ensued. But the glory 
belongeth unto Him who put forth and went before, because 
without him no gospel can be preached. 

After meeting we went home with our valued friend Moses 
Bailey, who belongs to this meeting. Visited a sick man, 
and his son and daughter, this afternoon — a pleasant season. 
On second day we went twelve miles, and had a meeting at 
West Cain at three o'clock — this meeting was small, and 
proved rather a laborious time ; however, through honest labor, 
peace was our, reward. Next day we had another appointed 
meeting at East Cain, much larger, in which I was much en- 
larged in testimony, to my relief and satisfaction. Afternoon, 
we travelled ten miles to Aaron Sharpless's, where I met 
with my dear friend and correspondent, Mary Kite, and we 
were mutually glad to see each other. This place is called 
Birmingham, where we attended their Monthly Meeting, in 
which I had a living testimony to bear, to the necessity of 
holding fast the profession of our faith, and to stand fast, lest 
the enemy beguile us, and lure us from a firm standing on the 
Rock of Ages. At this place we were met by our friend 
Isaac Hayes, who took us to his house near Westown School, 
with whom we lodged. Next day we attended their meeting 
at the school, consisting of more than two hundred, pupils and 
others ; and truly I have seldom been so remarkably led and en- 
larged in such a meeting — an interesting company — the whole 
family seemed very glad of our company and services. On 
sixth day, 9th, we went to Concord Monthly Meeting and had 
pretty satisfactory labor; dined at William Scattergood's, 



480 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

and returned at night, with Isaac Hayes. On seventh day, 
10th, our dear friends I. and R. H. went with us to Parkers- 
ville, where we had an open good meeting; a large gathering, 
towards whom the current of gospel love and life ran as a 
stream. Dined at John Parker's, where our friend Morris 
Cope met us, and, after visiting an aged Friend and family, 
guided us to his house at New Garden ; where, next day, 
being first day, 11th, we met with Friends and some others 
in the morning, to pretty good satisfaction, and in the after- 
noon, had an appointed meeting at Fallowfield, in which I 
was much enlarged, and the gospel current ran freely. 

After this, we arrived again in Philadelphia on the 12th, 
and on third day*) the 13th, attended the North Meeting, 
where I had a striking testimony to bear, and John Wood 
being present, was exercised in supplication. Next day, went 
to Orange Street Meeting, where we had an open time, to my 
own great relief and peace of mind. Here I met with my 
dear friend Robert Scotton. Next day, at Arch Street I was 
silent. My kind friend William Hilles took me to German- 
town, where I attended their mid-week meeting ; a pretty 
open time, although the meeting was smaller than usual, 
many being away. From here we went to Byberry, where 
we attended their meeting, to good satisfaction, and then re- 
turned to Philadelphia. 

On seventh day, the 17th, I attended the Yearly Meeting 
of Ministers and Elders ; and, inasmuch as certificates which 
are not directed to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting are not ex- 
pected to be presented and read there, I omitted to present 
mine, as advised by some judicious friends. On first day 
morning at the North, and in the afternoon, at Arch Street 
Meeting, I was raised up, in the authority of the everlasting 
gospel, in bearing testimony to the Truth. The forenoon, or 
first sitting of the Yearly Meeting was rendered very painful 
to me, by the reading of epistles from all the Gurneyite 
Yearly Meetings in the world, save that of New England, 
and all fraught with the most glowing language, as it would 
seem, that the ingenuity of man could well frame and bring to- 
gether in the form of an epistle ; passing over, and keeping 
out of sight, those false doctrines which are fostered by the 
leading characters of those corresponding bodies. My com- 



OPPOSITION TO HIS SITTING IN YEARLY MEETING. 481 

panion and I could not view this correspondence which Phila- 
delphia carries on with those people, to be anything better 
than a dry, dead formality, if not greatly tinctured with the 
leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. In the after- 
noon the Gurneyites rallied their forces, and came forward 
with a determination, as it appeared, to expel me from the 
house ; with Israel W. Morris for their leader. He said that 
John Wilbur, a man who had been regularly disowned by 
New England Yearly Meeting, before the separation, was 
present, contrary to the order of discipline, and, therefore, 
ought not to be suffered to remain in the meeting. He was 
followed, in pretty rapid succession, by many of his associates, 
in the same strain ; one said that I had presented no certifi- 
cate, and had, therefore, no right to be there. But the third 
party, however good their will might be, knew too well that 
such a step as ejecting me, would not bear ; and, fearing the 
risk of a separation if this motion was pressed on, stood 
against the measure of expulsion. William Evans said that 
such a discussion would be unprofitable ; that although the 
individual had been, in a manner, disowned, he appealed to 
the " smaller body," and they restored him to membership 
with them ; and this Yearly Meeting has acknowledged them 
to be members of Society, and had never before disputed 
their right of sitting in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. But 
although it was pretty well known that the Gurneyites could 
not carry this question against the conservatives, (William 
Evans being clerk,) yet a number of our sound Friends came 
boldly forward against the proposition, divers speaking in the 
most decided manner, concerning the just course which I had 
taken, and of how much I had suffered in support of our 
doctrines and testimonies, referring to the " Report " of this 
meeting, and proposing that it should be read, if Friends 
could not otherwise remember its contents. The occurrence 
of this controversy, (for which the Gurneyites must have the 
credit) was, as I believe, of some profit to the cause of Truth, 
binding more strongly the minds of the honest-hearted, to our 
doctrines ; and moreover, it procured for me and my friends, 
an increase of sympathy, and had a tendency to gather more 
nearly and confirm the feeble-minded. This controversy con- 
tinued for nearly an hour, and the clerk made a number of 

41 



482 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

attempts to resume the business of the meeting before he 
could succeed ; for it was, as I suppose he feared, the longer 
it continued, the better for our cause. 

Fourth day morning, I was raised up in the Select Meet- 
ing, in a manner wonderful to myself, on the subject of the 
ministry, which was corroborated by E. Pitfield ; all to the 
satisfaction of sound Friends, and even, as I w^as told, it drew 
a confession to the Truth, from some of the Gurneyites. As 
a party they advocated the London circular, and pressed for 
it to be sent to the women, in which William Evans coincided. 
The circulation of this document among the American Yearly 
Meetings is clearly an attempt to pacify them, and to make 
them so satisfied with the defective doctrines of Gurney and 
Ash, (coming through their hands in London, and allowed by 
them,) as that there may be no disturbance here, or separation 
on account of those unsound sentiments, wmich have already 
produced great dissension in the Society at large, and which 
sentiments Philadelphia Yearly Meeting had divers times 
entreated them to suppress ; but of which entreaty they had 
taken no notice. 

This view of the case was pretty clearly developed in the 
meeting, and the acceptance of that circular ably objected to. 
A report from the Baltimore deputation was brought into 
this Yearly Meeting and the reading of it strenuously advo- 
cated by the Gurneyites, and also by members of that com- 
mittee from North Carolina, Indiana and Baltimore, but they 
did not succeed. This discussion was carried on mostly be- 
tween the Gurneyites and the conservatives, and of the latter, 
Samuel Bettle and William Evans were the chief speakers. 

Fifth day, the 22d, we attended the North Meeting — silent. 
On sixth day morning, the corresponding epistles to all the 
Gurneyite Yearly Meetings, were brought in and read, save 
to that of New r England ; and a painful loss of ground by 
this Yearly Meeting was manifested in the reading of these 
replies, because of the absence of any allusion whatever, to 
the unsound doctrines so rife, and so perilously entertained 
within all the Yearly Meetings to w 7 hom these epistles were 
addressed ; and consequently no caution, counsel, or admo- 
nition w 7 as administered by this Yearly Meeting, as had here- 
tofore been done. To carry on a correspondence with other 



RETURN HOME— DEATH OF HIS WIFE. 483 

Yearly Meetings, omitting the greatest thing, or only thing, 
which requires most imperiously the counsel of their brethren 3 
is not only useless and formal, but tends to quiet their con- 
sciences, and to pacify them in the entertaining of the evil — 
than which, there had better be no correspondence at all. 

On sixth day, the 23d, about mid-day, the Yearly Meeting 
concluded, and we spent the afternoon in calling on our dear 
friends, and in company with many of them at our lodgings. 
Sweet indeed was the fellowship, true sympathy and tender 
love, which flowed freely among these who had been so often 
and so strongly bound together, baptized by the one Spirit into 
the one body, and permitted to drink together of this one 
Spirit. 

Return to thy rest, oh my soul, at the feet of Him who has 
been with us, and kept us in the way we should go, and 
opened the hearts of so many dear and precious brethren and 
sisters towards us, and ask of him to keep them in a place 
of safety, under his own holy pavilion, where love and peace 
may reign forever and ever ! 

Next morning, the 24th, we took a hearty and affectionate 
leave of these dear friends, and went on our way, rejoicing as 
we went, towards home ; though unworthy of such signal 
favor, yet permitted in the greatness of the Lord's mercy, to 
bring our sheaves with us. I parted with my children, Wil- 
liam and Mary Hazard, and my dear companion William 
Hill, in New York, that night, and I reached Westerly early 
next morning, where my wife was, and found her tolerably 
comfortable, as to health ; and we, with our children, were 
mutually glad to meet once more, and I trust our hearts were 
bowed in gratitude and thankfulness to him who mercifully 
so ordered and permitted us to see each other's faces again. 

After returning from this visit to Pennsylvania and New 
Jersey, it was not long before my dear wife, who had been 
for some time in declining health, grew more and more un- 
well, and from a pretty comfortable state, by the time of our 
Yearly Meeting at Newport, where she went, she became 
very poorly, and after returning home, went out no more, 
save once, a short distance ; but continued to fail until the 
19th of 12th mo. following, when she departed in great peace 



484 JOURNAL OF JOHX WILBUR. 

and quietness, having a comfortable assurance of a happy im- 
mortality. We had lived together, in great harmony and 
affection, for nearly sixty years ; she was my faithful helper 
and bosom friend to the last ; and the loss of her help, and 
sweet company, and good counsel, has been, and still is, a 
close trial, and nearly felt by me at this time, the 28th of 
7th mo., 1853. 

[The following Testimony concerning this dear friend issued 
by South Kingston Monthly Meeting is deemed worthy of a 
place in this Volume.] 

Testimony of South Kingston Monthly Meeting concerning 
Lydia Wilbur^ deceased. 

Our beloved friend, Lydia Wilbur, wife of John Wilbur, 
was born in Stonington, Connecticut, 22d of fourth month, 
1778. Her parents were Amos and Thankful Collins, es- 
teemed members of the Society of Friends. She was relig- 
iously inclined from her youth up, and was appointed to the 
station of an elder at an early age, which station she con- 
tinued to fill with usefulness and propriety during the remain- 
der of her life. Entering early into the marriage state, the 
cares and responsibilities of a numerous family devolved upon 
her. She was entirely united with her husband, and his faith- 
ful helper in endeavoring to bring up their children in sim- 
plicity and plainness, according to our profession, and to teach 
them the fear of the Lord. And her concern was not only 
for her family, but she greatly loved and desired the prosperity 
of Truth everywhere. It may be truly said that she was a 
peacemaker, — prudent and discreet. She had very humble 
views of her own attainments, always preferring others to her- 
self. She was a most affectionate wife and mother, and 
entered deeply into feeling and sympathy with her dear hus- 
band in his many religious engagements, freely giving him 
up to travel in Truth's service. 

The following brief extracts from some of her letters written 
to him whilst he was engaged in a religious visit to Great 
Britain and Ireland will serve to show the state of her mind 
at that time, and the near unity and sympathy she felt with 
him in his gospel labors and travels in that land. 



MEMORIAL OF LYDIA WILBUR. 485 

Second month, 9th, 1832. " I can salute thee in the love that first 
united us together, and I trust will always remain, and I desire that 
the preserving Hand that has been with thee may still continue to be 
with thee in all thy trials, and in all thy lonely moments, which no 
doubt thou hast at times experienced. I believe the Master hath 
called for this sacrifice at thy hands ; to give up all that was near and 
dear in this life, to cross the mighty ocean, and there to proclaim the 
everlasting gospel to a people unknown to thee. Although discourage- 
ments at times seem to be my lot, yet as I endeavor to abide in patience 
they are removed and I am made a little to rejoice that I have been 
permitted to take the care at home, while my dear husband is so ex- 
posed for the peace of his own mind and the good of the precious 
cause." 

Third month. 7th, 1832. "I believe we have all tried to do the 
best we could in thy absence, although I sometimes feel closely tried 
with the thought of being so long separated from thee, my dear hus- 
band ; but I have endeavored for patience, and to wear the sackcloth 
underneath, but it would be no marvel if the edge of the hem should 
sometimes appear. I cannot express the sympathy and tender regard 
I feel for thee, and I do greatly desire that the unslumbering Shepherd 
of Israel may keep and direct thee in all thy movements, and that the 
feet of thy mind may stand sure on that Rock where there is safety. 
I greatly desire for myself that I may keep in this safe place ; but 
I feel my unworthiness and the need of thy help and prayers for my 
preservation." 

Eighth month, 25th, 1832. "I think my health is as good as I 
could expect amid my trials and afflictions, which have been many. 
My trust has been in the Lord alone, and blessed be his name, he has 
been as a stay and a staff to bear up my mind when it has been 
ready to faint by the way. Oh ! how I have craved that the Lord 
may be near to support thee in this time of deep trial, and in all others 
that may be permitted thee, so that thou may not sink or faint under 
the sore affliction which has been meted out to us no doubt for our 
good.* How pleasant it would be to have the sweet company of a 
beloved companion at this time ; but I dare not ask for it until thou 
feels released from that land." 

The singular and varied trials of her beloved husband, dur- 
ing the latter part of his life, consequent upon a faithful ad- 

* Referring to the death of a beloved daughter, an account of which, by another 
hand, accompanied this letter. 
41 * 



486 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

herence to our ancient doctrines and testimonies, weighed 
heavily upon her spirit, and tended not a little at times to 
cast her down, yet her sympathy and near feeling with him 
were manifested to the holding up and strengthening of 
his hands, while under suffering and persecution on this 
account. 

In the spring of 1852, her health which had been gradually 
failing for two or three years, became much impaired, and 
symptoms of disease appeared which soon assumed a serious 
aspect. In the early part of her sickness, she said, she would 
like to live a little longer on account of her dear husband, 
remarking that he would be left very lonely ; but after a time 
this was made very easy to her, and she gave up all expecta- 
tion and desire of recovery, saying, " I would rather go." She 
said several times, that it was a great thing to be entirely 
prepared for such a change. Once when making this remark, 
she said she thought she was not quite ready ; that there was 
much to look over. She was endued with remarkable patience 
and sweet resignation to the Divine will; her countenance 
bespeaking great quietude of mind. On its being observed 
to her that she looked very happy, she said she was so. A 
friend inquired of her how it looked to her now in regard to 
the stand which we had taken in reference to the troubles in 
the Society. She replied, " It looks as clear to me now as 
ever it did." 

She requested her dear love to be given to her children 
that were not present, then added, give my love to everybody. 
She gradually failed and after lying in a deathlike slumber 
for two or three hours, when it was thought she would speak 
no more, she opened her eyes and in an audible voice said, " I 
shall now go soon ; — I am ready ; " after which she spoke 
! no more, but continued several hours, appearing to be in a 
sweet sleep ; and so she departed, drawing her breath so 
gently shorter and shorter that the precise moment when the 
spirit left, could scarcely be perceived. She died on the 19th 
of twelfth month, 1852, in the seventy-fifth year of her age, 
and was interred in Friends' burying-ground at Hopkinton, 
on the 22d, after a solemn meeting on the occasion. And 
now, in view of the quiet and lowly walk of this our beloved 
friend through life, we feel this language of our Lord and 



LETTER FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY. 487 

Saviour to be peculiarly applicable in her case, " Blessed are 
the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." 

Signed by direction and on behalf of South Kingston 
Monthly Meeting of Friends, held at Hopkinton 23d of third 
month, 1857. 

Ethan Foster, Clerk. 
Ann Perry, Clerk. 



FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY TO JOHN WILBUR. 

Aberdeen, 24th of 3d mo., 1852. 



MY DEAR AND VALUED FRIEND, 



Thy favor of the 9th of last month came to hand the first of this, 
and was indeed very acceptable, and in no part so much as where thou 
speaks of the heavy exercise now upon thee ; in which my mind has 
seemed almost daily since to travail, and go along with thee, as I seem 
to fancy thee going to one part or another of that Yearly Meeting, parts 
of which thy good Lord has called thee to visit in his love, and in the 
fulness of the blessing of the gospel ! My dear ancient friend, my 
heart rejoiced in that it was thus laid upon thee to go thereaway, and 
was lifted up in fervent praises and prayer, unto the mighty and good 
Strengthener of all his faithful servants, that he would be pleased to 
strengthen thee both in body and mind for this journey, and preserve 
thee from all snares and perils, and worst of all, those among false 
brethren, and such as make a fair profession of being for the good old 
way of Truth and the testimony thereof, yet there is reason to fear are 
not wholly true and staunch thereunto ! And from time to time since 
I had thine, and when thinking of thy getting on, and how thou wouldst 
be received, fresh breathings have continually arisen in my heart for 
thy safe guidance from day to day, thy all-sufficient strengthening and 
sustaining (amidst the trials and deep exercises that must be thy por- 
tion) unto all faithfulness, watchfulness, and deep humility, and thy 
favoring with such a portion of heavenly comfort and peace, as will 
make up for all sufferings, and be a rich reward for all sacrifices ! I 
have looked upon it as a peculiar mark of heavenly goodness towards 
the remnant of rightly exercised and true feeling ones there, that they 
may be strengthened and comforted ; as well as towards the weak and 
wavering, that they may be confirmed and have their eyes opened ; 
and oh ! that those who have been from unwatchfulness led away into 
the enemy's snare, may be aroused to see their situation, and cry 
mightily to be helped out of it, and yet come to bear a true testimony 



488 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

for the blessed Truth ! Oh ! the longings of my soul that through the 
Lord's humbling goodness to his faithful servant, this labor of love may 
be especially blessed, and his own pure and holy name be exalted, 
praised and glorified over all ! * * * I do trust thou wilt be en- 
abled to put to silence the mouths of the gainsayers, through the Lord 
of all-sufficiency giving thee a mouth and wisdom which they cannot 
resist, albeit at the same time preserving thee in that humility, which 
honoreth his name and cause, as thou sayest ! 

Ah ! my dear friend, I most entirely unite with thee, that our Yearly 
Meeting is the most reprehensible of all in the Divine sight, from neg- 
lecting their duty, and suffering this dire disease to get to such a height 
as it has done, and to spread through their members to other parts, 
thus infecting them, and bringing trial upon them to a fearful extent ! 
And how well do I remember Edward Harris finding thee weeping 
over us, in the yard at Devonshire House meeting, and encouraging 
thee to go down with my dear brother John, to Croydon, for a week, 
where thou wast helped a little over the bitterness of that grief! But 
those tears are all bottled by the Divine hand, and I believe those of 
many more in our poor land, who are thus filling up in measure, that 
which is behind of the afflictions of Christ for his body's sake, the 
church ; for surely some of us are as it were, killed all the day long, 
and eat our bread with bitterness, and mingle tears with our drink ! 
And some such poor weak ones as me, are ready to say, blessed are 
they who are taken from the evil to come, and gathered to their 
heavenly home ! I do most truly feel what thou sayest as to the cause 
of this prevalency of the hour and power of darkness ! The very 
thing thou mentions has seemed to run through me as I have sat in 
our Yearly Meetings, at sundry times for years and years past ; as 
also of the abominations working in secret, as in old time when Ezekiel 
was bid to make a hole in the wall, and look on what the elders of 
Israel were doing in the. dark! And now there seems no hope, for 
the whole head is sick and heart faint, and there is no knowing of the 
disease and weakness which has spread over us, but all is thought to 
be in a fair state, and a flourishing state too, seeing they can compass 
sea and land, and do so many mighty works ! Therefore the few who 
are constrained to show the house of Israel their backslidings, are 
designated as poor pitiful complainers and miserable comforters, nar- 
row-minded, uncharitable souls, that do more harm than good, &c, &c. 
Yes, it is as thou sayest, a profanation in the mouth ; the good words 
and high profession of some who think they are advocating the ancient 
Truth, whereas Christ is crucified amongst, or in them. But the day 
is coming when all shall be tried, and none but the true Jews will be 
able to stand with acceptance. * * * * * 



LETTER TO WILLIAM EVANS. 489 

I have been fearing has had some counsel from a certain 

quarter, not to retail passages across the Atlantic ; and I have queried" 
it of him in my present letter, saying that there is a wisdom and pru- 
dence, that instead of helping, hurts the true love ; for genial feeling 
minds, to whom the Truth is as the apple of the eye, must communi- 
cate to each other, and it nourishes the true love and unity. I shall 
feel greatly interested in hearing about the dear and tried Friends 
(sound ones I mean) of New York, to whom my soul seems to reach 
forth in many secret and fervent breathings. 

Thy nearly united friend, 

Lydia A. Barclay. 



FROM J. W. TO WILLIAM EVANS. 

Hopkiuton, 5th mo., 22d, 1852. 

MY DEAR FRIEND WILLIAM EVANS, 

However incompetent I am to do justice to a subject which has im- 
pressed my mind in relation to a few things which transpired in the 
late Yearly Meeting at Philadelphia, as I understood them, yet I feel 
that it would be a relief to me briefly to confer with thee in relation 
thereto. There were divers things in which there was evidently a 
disparity of views and opinions, but decided as I believe in a proper 
manner, yet the acknowledgment of the epistles then received by a 
conciliatory minute on the benefit of a correspondence produced a pain- 
ful impression on my mind, whatever the effect might have been on the 
minds of others. It was well known, that every one of the bodies 
from whom those documents were received, were prevailingly enter- 
taining doctrines essentially at variance with the doctrines of Friends ; 
and most, or all of them are ostensibly endeavoring to enforce them 
upon all who have not already embraced them either directly or indi- 
rectly, for the purpose, as it would seem, of harmonizing the Society 
at large in the adoption of them. 

The want of unity and harmony in the Society of Friends at this 
time is, as I believe, fully acknowledged to have been occasioned by 
the one part cherishing unsound views, while the other part discards 
them, and appeals to the ancient doctrines. That this is the ground 
of dissension, is plainly obvious from the fact that the contrast as 
exhibited by the "Appeal for the ancient doctrines," issued by Phila- 
delphia Yearly Meeting, was strongly opposed by the former in both 
that and Ohio Yearly Meetings, and the document was not received 
by any of the Yearly Meetings which sent these epistles, although 
offered to them, as we are informed ; than which no better testimony 
can be reasonably called for to prove that the cause of disunity rests 



490 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

upon the question of doctrines. And, furthermore, much other irre- 
fragable testimony can be adduced to show that such is the ground 
of disunity in the Society, that discipline and good order have been 
abused in the support of those defective doctrines, and that those 
Yearly Meetings are disposed to overlook, and even to apologize for 
such perversion and violation of discipline for the purpose of uphold- 
ing those unsound doctrines, and for the expelling of those who hon- 
estly withstood them. 

There were, also, among the epistles alluded to, several which 
exhorted Philadelphia Yearly Meeting to a correspondence with those 
who thus identified themselves with such perversion of Quakerism. 
Had the minute acknowledging the receipt of those epistles simply 
expressed that epistles were received from such and such bodies, and 
a committee appointed to essay suitable replies, and if that com- 
mittee had brought in replies adapted to their condition and defec- 
tion as heretofore, I apprehend that I should have been spared a great 
part of the exercise which has induced these remarks ; which exercise 
I did not feel commissioned to open in the meeting, as I now do to thee. 
The minute speaking so highly of a correspondence made on the re- 
ceipt of those Gurneyite epistles, was undoubtedly well pleasing and 
strengthening to those people in your Yearly Meeting, and can hardly 
fail to be discouraging and painful to sound Friends, if not weakening 
to the cause of Truth. For in all cases, as I understand things, what- 
ever strengthens error in individuals or in the church tends to weaken 
the right thing in that body and its members. The London " Gircular," 
coming from those who are themselves chargeable with the cause of 
the late and present tendency to separation certainly comes from them 
with an ill grace ; and until they make amends for their great and cul- 
pable deficiency, they must be considered by sensible and upright 
Friends as having put their hands to a work that belongs not to them 
to do. Or, otherwise, until they come out candidly and say, as their 
acts plainly evince they mean, we do indeed intend to uphold the doc- 
trines of Gurney and Ash, and to adopt them as the doctrines of the 
Society ; and our desire is that all Friends in America may do the 
same and have no dissension about them. In this there would be con- 
sistency. 

Now until one of these courses is taken, their epistle or circular 
must stand in a most inconsistent and reproachful point of view ! But 
if the doctrines which have by consent gone forth from them, are to 
continue to be adhered to by a number beyond control, then those, if 
any there be, adhering to our first principles, would be vastly better off 
by themselves, than in connection with such apostates ; and the dis- 
parity of numbers could not well affect this conclusion. If the pre- 



LETTER TO WILLIAM E.VANS. 491 

cepts of our Saviour, and the order of our discipline be correct in 
premising a separation of one unsound member from the church, (if he 
could not be reclaimed,) lest his influence or example should corrupt 
others in the same body, then if a greater number, or a majority of the 
whole body become apostate to the true doctrines, how much more 
necessary and imperious, even in proportion to the ratio of numbers, 
and for the safety of those who are yet preserved from heresy, that 
they should become separate from those who have not been preserved 
lest the influence of the greater number should leaven the whole body. 
Indeed, the very design of a social religious compact, is that the be- 
lievers in the true doctrines and practices should be gathered out and 
become separate from those who believe not in those doctrines and 
practices, for the preservation of all the faithful members from the 
contaminating influence of unbelievers, as is well set forth by Robert 
Barclay. 

Thou knowest, my dear friend, as I trust, that those religious socie- 
ties which have degenerated the most from the true Christian doctrines 
and practices, have declaimed the loudest against a separation from 
them, their faith and practice ; and have been the most violent in deal- 
ing with, and even persecuting such as testified against them. For 
instance, the primitive Christian church, when it had become itself 
apostate from true Christianity, declaimed against those who conscien- 
tiously protested against her degenerate doctrines, and avowed those of 
a more primitive description. How exceedingly that degenerate body 
strove against those better men, because they testified against them and 
became separate from them. 

Before I close, my dear friend, I feel like reminding thee (though I 
doubt not but thou hast often thought of it) of the important station in 
which the Head of the church has placed thee or permitted thy friends 
to place thee — how great the responsibility of such a station at such 
a time as this, and under existing circumstances when the welfare of 
the church and the course of many may be greatly affected by thy 
management and decisions ; insomuch, that if upright and just, they 
will happily tend to confer upon all their just rights, and go to the 
preserving of many, within the pale of right principles, while the re- 
verse of this would tend to promote that most fearful result — the scat- 
tering of the flock of true believers from the enclosure of the true 
Shepherd. In a conscientious course, in the fear of the Lord, the up- 
right man humbly confides and trusts in a Divine Providence. He 
(the Lord) can control all consequences that come of doing justly. He 
will, if our acts are righteous, make all of them work together for 
good. Thou knowest that in the administration of the discipline as 
before stated, an unsound member, if we cannot restore him, must be 



492 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

disowned, according as Christian usage has been from the first until 
now ; without compromising with error for fear of the consequences. 
Such compromising has brought weakness and prostration upon the 
Society of Friends to the extinction of the testimonies in many places 
at different times ; and what can we expect now, if we suffer to 
dwell with us great numbers, whom we know to be in unity with 
those who have grievously succeeded in turning Israel away from the 
covenant and law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, the testimony 
whereof w r as so precious to our faithful forefathers, and which cost 
Him who called them a vast amount of suffering endured by his ser- 
vants ? 

And if we, as a body, suffer such numbers of these who have thus de- 
parted from the faith to unite with us and we with them, in our best con- 
vocations, our most solemn meetings of the heads of the tribes, what a 
wide door we open for all to follow them and their views ; and by the 
authority of the Yearly Meeting how sacrilegiously we remove the land- 
marks, and the restraints of the gospel doctrines, and tarnish the glory 
of them, by holding out this language, — be your faith what it may, we 
are willing to keep fellowship with you rather than break our ranks, and 
lose the honor that attaches to great numbers. 

Was it not the ancient and prominent characteristic of Quakerism 
to do that which the Lord and his Truth required without regarding 
those consequences which the wisdom and fear of man or his misgiv- 
ings might suggest? 

My faith is strong that no division for the Truth, and in the wisdom 
of it will ever tend to scatter the true seed of God's Israel. And now 
I am inclined to ask if there be an order in a Yearly Meeting which 
clashes with or stands opposed to the divine ordering, would it not 
seem indispensable that a remedy should be provided ? If the Head of 
the church should move on the mind of a minister in New England to 
visit some part of your Yearly Meeting, and his ministry should evince 
that he came thus authorized, still your order is esteemed to be by 
some such that you cannot recognize such an one. Again a professed 
minister without any divine commission for it offers himself to your 
acceptance ; if he come from New York or Baltimore Yearly Meetings 
do you not think yourselves bound by that order to receive and ac- 
knowledge him ? Hence if you do so, your order stands opposed to 
the divine ordering ; as also your doings. But the Truth can never 
supersede or contradict itself. 

Now in regard to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, can they not, if 
they desire consistency, and humbly ask wisdom of God, be enabled 
unreservedly to conform their order (if they have not already done so) 
to the divine ordering, and if they have, to practise upon it ? I trust 



LETTER FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY. 493 

thou art sensible, my dear friend, how much good to the cause of our 
blessed Master the clerk of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting can do in 
the present state of things, and how his loyalty to the Truth will re- 
dound to his own present peace, as well as to his future joy and con- 
solation. 

From thy true friend, 

John Wilbur. 



FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY TO J. W. 

Aberdeen, 28th of 6th mo., 1852. 

***** j gpeak f the pleasure and comfort of thy letters, 
but my dear friend, they (or these two) conveyed sorrowful tidings 
from Philadelphia, that seemed to wound the best life in me, as it re- 
gards such as I have much love for, though some of them are un- 
known in the outward ! — what shall we say to these things ! they must 
excite mourning and pity towards such as we believe have erred from 
the right path, and also lead us to fear and tremble for ourselves, know- 
ing the insidious snares of the enemy, and our own great weakness ! 
Oh ! may they stir us up to watch closely and take heed lest we should 
fall in any degree from that measure of steadfastness which has hitherto 
in mercy been vouchsafed us poor and panting ones, and may ability 
be received through the spirit of supplication to breathe for our preser- 
vation to the end, with that of those dear unto us, not forgetting those 
dear ones who have caused us this grief, if peradventure the Lord 
would be pleased to give them to see their danger and bring them back 
by deep humiliation ! I saw, last week, a letter of W. E. to R. R. 
which tried me much, as it evinced such a different spirit to what 
would (to my mind) be consistent with the professions of Christian love, 
forbearance and meekness, and the apparent firmness to Truth, which 
it contained ! There was the most careful avoiding of any expression 
towards thee, indicative of love, or sympathy, or unity, or to the recog- 
nition of thee as a minister in any way, and even alluded to that exer- 
cising time thou wast favored with in the Select Meeting as only " a 
few remarks on the ministry ! " Alas ! what a changed feeling there 
must be ! I could not help in returning it animadverting closely and 
sorrowfully upon it to dear R. 

In looking around our Yearly Meeting, I can but see and feel there are 
but very, very few whom I can entirely unite with ! and the desire often 
arises (in mournfulness !) to be prepared and fitted to be removed hence, 
and to be at rest from the tribulations caused by the enemy ! yet desire 
to be resigned to suffer as long as need be ! if I may but be preserved 
upright and deeply humble to the end ! How glad I am and was to 
42 



494 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

hear how thou was helped, and I trust preserved, and my heart was 
filled with thanksgivings and praise to Him the mighty strengthener and 
tender preserver of his dear faithful children the world over ; who still 
regards in compassion the low estate of his exercised servants and hand- 
maids,, and sends them help from his holy sanctuary as they need it, to 
the melting and contriting of their souls before him, and to the renew- 
ing of their humble trust and filial confidence in the never-failing arm 
of his salvation ! Alas ! poor C. B. I thought it would be so with 
her, and I never felt at liberty to express unity with her concern, no 
more did several others ! I believe with thee, that no others but such 
as are like her would be liberated to visit your land ! so we must visit 
the seed in spirit, and Oh ! there is a love and unity, and consolation 
in Christ which extends and flows over sea and land, and to distant 
corners, truly and wonderfully precious, which he is to be praised and 
adored for in the depths of fleshly abasement ! What matters the 
preaching of close things, and ancient doctrine in words, and extolling 
our early Friends, and their writings and testimonies ! my feeling is 
respecting any such, if they have not a testimony to bear against the 
doctrines of J. J. Gurney, believe them not, for they are inconsistent, 
and are but garnishing of the sepulchres as it were of those they are 
extolling so, and thus prove they are in the spirit of those who perse- 
cuted and opposed them. May the Lord preserve us purely to his 
praise, and grant us a little place of rest within the pearl gates at the 
end, is the earnest breathing of thy affectionate and united friend, 

Ltdia A. Barclay. 



FROM THE SAME. 

Aberdeen, 29th of 11th mo., 1852. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

******* ^hy remar k s on the proceedings of our last 
Yearly Meeting are very just ; there is indeed, a continual attempt at 
great and good-looking doings to hide from the unsuspecting our de- 
formity, and defection from ancient principles, and so by degrees to 
wheedle us round, until the gilded chain which binds us under the 
prince of darkness, shall be completed ! I think I never was so 
distressed with the state of things in London Quarter, as when I 
was in those parts this autumn, and attended the Quarterly Meeting, 
and some other of the meetings there away ; there is such a complete 
despotism or hierarchy rather, and yet under the most plausible appear- 
ance ! These unfaithful leaders got the Yearly Meeting to send forth 
a minute all over the kingdom, advising to appoint Quarterly Meeting's 
committees everywhere, and they are also overruling in these commit- 



LETTER FROM LYDIA A. BARCLAY. 495 

tees where they can ; and I believe in consequence of the chief of 
them being in London Quarterly Meeting, they are likely (if they 
have not already clone so) to overrule in the Monthly Meetings 
throughout, so as to carry the gravestone question, which they them- 
selves mooted in the Yearly Meeting, over the heads of, and to the 
grief of the few solid faithful Friends left in the different meetings ! 
It has indeed been an apple of discord, for it has shown how discordant 
with ancient principles many are whom we had esteemed as good sort 
of Friends ! But it is well there should be something to manifest the 
evil among us. 

Ah ! the little band of such as are devoted to the ancient doctrines 
are being tried and refined in various ways ; we are separated one 
from another by distance, so that we have not the help or comfort of 
each other's company, and we are losing others by death ; but if it all 
tends to deepen us in inward experience that we may more closely cling 
to the alone and all-sufficient Source of help, it will be well ; and then if 
ever our deliverance comes, it will be more manifestly from above, and 
no flesh shall glory in his sight ! I was affected to hear of inconsistency in 
several ministers and elders when in the South, one of them subverting 
in principle and conversation our testimony as to dress and address. 
These are opening the door for further encroachments on our testimo- 
nies ; so that it sometimes seems to me, that the time may not be dis- 
tant (though I may not live to see it) when those who desire to uphold 
the pure Quaker doctrine and example, will be compelled to come out 
from amongst the unfaithful and compromising, and even though a 
mere handful, to touch not, taste not that which is unclean, that they 
may with holiness bear the vessels of the Lord ! But such as these 
are only as one in a Quarterly Meeting. Still, I expect we know not, if 
Truth's standard were upheld rightly, but that many more who are 
wavering might flock to it ! I cannot but feel the prophecy of Sarah 
Grubb in 1820, is fast fulfilling, that we shall not be to be distinguished 
from the many other sects or horns of profession, which are pushing in 
various ways against the Truth, and in some cases, against each other 
also J********** 

Thy affectionate friend, 

L. A. Barclay. 



FROM THE SAME. 

Aberdeen, 7th of 2d mo., 1853. 

MY DEAR AND VALUED FRIEND, 

*******j unite with thee in regard to a coming out 
from those who are not true ancient Friends ; but I believe such will 



496 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

be clearly shown when and how to step, and will be strengthened to 
guard against creaturely activity and zeal, and preserved in deep 
humility and watchfulness, and they will find it necessary to be deeply 
exercised in a godly care over all their members, watching for each 
other's growth and preservation ; for if a little company make a stand 
for ancient principles, their conduct and conversation must be consist- 
ent therewith, otherwise there may be danger of its only being a sepa- 
ration of one worldly spirit from another, and great reproach will be 
entailed on the blessed cause ! ■ * * * * 

It is but a small part here that are aware of what has transpired in 
New England, and those who do know it keep it entirely out of sight, 
love and harmony being so preached up now ; and there is perhaps, 
in consequence, a sort of reserve towards, and standing aloof from 
those who are known to be of the ancient sort, even on the part of 
those who at heart wish well to the ancient doctrines ; they dare not 
come out with their sentiments, so thou may judge how little there is 
of the blessings of true unity and love in this part of the heritage. 
* * * *' Thy remarks are very just in regard to the various 
degeneracies in the church, and those parts in the books of Isaiah, 
Jeremiah and Ezekiel, that allude to the chosen people of Israel, I 
have often thought apply very closely to us in many respects. I only 
hope their lot may not be ours ; still, I cannot but believe that the rev- 
elation or dispensation of Truth as made known to our worthy fore- 
fathers is the last and lasting one, and that though we may be cast off 
as a people, yet others will be raised up in the same life and spirit 
that lived, and moved, and acted in our forefathers, whether in this or 
other nations who shall carry on the Lord's work ; for the blessed 
Truth must and shall prevail over all ! And now my endeared friend 
and elder brother, though last yet not least felt, I earnestly crave thy 
support and strengthening guidance and preservation from day to day 
through the deep exercises and unknown afflictions that await thee in 
this thy arduous engagement and evening sacrifice ; yea, I may say 
fervent supplications have been given me both vocally as well as in- 
wardly expressed on thy behalf yesterday in and out of meetings. 
Oh that the Lord's humbling, strengthening arm may be with thee, and 
his precious consoling presence around thee to keep thee in all the way 
thou goest, and bless the work of thy hands, and if he please bring 
thee back again in humble peace and grateful praise to thy dear family, 
where I trust the peace-giving smiles of his glorious countenance will 
make up abundantly for the renewed sense of bereavement, and be as 
a crown to thy sacrifice ! 

In dear love and sympathy, I remain thy hearty friend, 

Lydia A. Barclay. 



VISIT TO NEW YOKE AND PENNSYLVANIA. 497 

Having had drawings in my mind for a considerable length 
of time, to pay a religious visit to Friends and others in some 
parts of the States of New York and Pennsylvania, and 
having obtained the necessary certificates, after attending our 
Quarterly Meeting at North Providence, I proceeded to Fall 
River, and on the 7th of 2d mo., 1853, went by steamer to 
New York, and next day by railroad to Poughkeepsie, where I 
met with my son-in-law, Wm. R. Hazard, and went with him 
to his house, near Washington Hollow, and next day went 
to the public meeting, after their Quarter, but not as a con- 
cern of mine ; here was almost a constant succession of preach- 
ing and praying, for near two hours and a half, but my mouth 
was not opened. There was present one Daniel Haviland 
(grandson of the old prophet of the same name) from Quaker 
Hill, who stood long and spoke with much warmth, and de- 
livered much sound Quaker doctrine as to the letter, but 
apparently in the will of the creature and with much self- 
complacency. There are two of dear old Daniel's sons who 
are acknowledged as ministers among the Gurneyites, who 
as it appears, may well be compared to those Jews who 
boasted of being the children of Abraham. 

Next day I went to Stanford Select Quarterly Meeting, 
which was indeed a painful time, and no marvel, considering 
the unsound condition of that meeting ; it was my lot to be 
silent. But I had felt a great weight and burden upon my 
mind ever since coming into this county ; and was almost in 
doubt what the result would be ; which continued with me 
until some time after the commencement of the meeting for 
worship, the next day, when a single sentence presented, as 
being intended for me to express in the meeting, touching the 
fitness of all which the Lord requires of us, and the adaptation 
thereof to his purposes, without seeing anything which might 
follow the expression of this sentence; nor was there any 
passage of Scripture subject or doctrine presented until ex- 
pressing the words which came as they occurred one after 
another, when by and by Scripture passages and doctrine 
began clearly to open, and the great attention with which 
we ought to regard the words of Christ, whether spoken in 
that prepared body or through the revelation or manifestation 
of his spirit in man, referring to the testimony that " Never 

42* 



498 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

man spake like this man," and also that the great purpose 
and result of Christianity was our deliverance from sin through 
the sanctifying power and baptism of the Holy Ghost, not 
only to be witnessed for once, but to be witnessed through 
our whole life, not merely to make us once clean, but to pre- 
serve us from falling away. We find that of our Saviour's 
immediate followers, after the great favors which they had 
received in hearing him who spake as never man spake, and 
in seeing his mighty miracles, and partaking of the loaves 
and fishes which his hands had broken, great numbers of 
them fell away and went backward, as it might be on account 
of the straitness of his words — the doctrines of the Cross, 
or otherwise, it might be that some of these took discourage- 
ment from the reproaches which the leaders in Israel so freely 
cast upon him ; that this might have had great effect in reduc- 
ing the number of his disciples among the people; and might 
have contributed to the misgivings of John the Baptist, shut 
up as he was in prison, and disappointed that the house of 
Israel did not believe in the Lord Jesus, whose character, 
mission, and power himself had so largely testified of. And 
I referred to the errand sent by two of his disciples ; that not- 
withstanding his lone condition, he was directed and applied 
to the right source for information ; he did not go to men, the 
leaders of Israel, to obtain satisfaction as to his character, but 
sent his messengers unto Jesus himself, with the inquiry, "Art 
thou he that should come, or look we for another ? " Then I 
related what was done, and what Jesus said to the disciples of 
John, dwelling emphatically upon the last expression, "And 
blessed is he whosoever is not offended in me." Showing 
that the enemy always has been, and always would be, seek- 
ing to work an offence in the minds of the followers of Christ, 
and that he is in the present day seeking to turn them back 
as in that day. 

When I had gone thus far, one Samuel Marriot broke in upon 
me by expressing a desire " that our aged Friend would desist 
from going further," to whom I remarked that for the reason 
that I was far advanced in age, and in all probability should 
not have the like opportunity to clear myself of those present, 
and inasmuch as I was persuaded that my service among 
them was in the will of Christ, I hoped they would not in- 



TREATMENT IN STANFORD QUARTERLY MEETING. 499 

terrupt me, as I believed I was nearly clear of what rested upon 
me at this time ; and so after a short time, in a loving ad- 
dress to the people, I closed. After two other persons had 
spoken at some length, and the shutters were closed, one Paul 
Upton came and whispered to me, desiring that I would go 
out, but he did not speak out ; so pretty soon I mentioned 
what the Friend had said to me, and subjoined, if that meeting 
had a choice that I should withdraw (notwithstanding I had 
the usual credentials) I was free to do so, feeling clear of the 
service whereunto I was called among them. It was sug- 
gested by some one that I was not a member of the Society ; 
when a member of the meeting said, that Philadelphia Yearly 
Meeting, the only body which had examined the New Eng- 
land case, had decided that I was a member of the Society 
of Friends, and had permitted me to sit in their Yearly Meet- 
ing. Although many were in favor of my remaining, yet 
the prevailing voice was that I should go out, and so I left 
the meeting, with several others who were dissatisfied with 
such proceedings. It is probable that the matter given me 
to deliver among them was not well relished by some ; how- 
ever, I enjoyed great peace in this day's labor, and in the 
patient endurance of the reproaches that were heaped upon 
me for the blessed Master's sake. It was for standing firm to 
the same doctrine that George Fox preached in many meetings, 
and for which he was hauled or driven out, and in a much 
rougher manner, too, than I was stopped and driven out ; but, 
my being driven out, by those pretending to be Friends — by 
false brethren — made it, peradventure, as trying to me, as the 
rough treatment which he met with, was to him. It is be- 
lieved that Stanford Quarterly Meeting has lost much credit 
by this day's proceedings, among some of its own members, 
and in the public mind. 

From this place, with W. R. Hazard for my companion, 
I went over the Hudson River to Coeymans, where we at- 
tended their meeting on first day ; but it being very snowy, it 
was much smaller than usual ; yet I had good service, referring 
to Paul's declaration to one of the churches, that it must be 
through much tribulation that they could enter the kingdom, 
evincing the necessity of a patient endurance of judgment 
brought over the natural man, in order to produce repentance 



500 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

and sanctification ; and subsequently recurred to the vision of 
the prophet when he saw a stream issuing from under the 
threshhold of the house of the Lord ; and setting forth the 
gradation of the depth on descending this river, coming first 
up to the ankles, then to the knees, and next to the waist, 
and finally becoming a river that could not be passed, deep 
enough to swim in ; showing that we must descend and get 
so deep down into the river of judgment, as to be renovated 
and sanctified from one degree to another, and brought to a 
willingness to abide there, and to get deeper and deeper, 
which experience would not be unprofitable to the very best 
of us. I was also led to recur to the apostle's doctrine, to 
show the gradation and advancement in grace, viz : " Tribu- 
lation worketh patience, and patience experience," &c. ; show- 
ing that tribulation patiently endured will greatly instruct us 
in the school of experience, and establish us in true and ex- 
perimental Christianity ; referring also to the passage in 
Revelation, " These are they that came out of great tribula- 
tion, and have washed their robes and made them white in 
the blood of the Lamb." And although I did not feel that 
there was much resistance to my testimony, but quite an 
openness to receive it on the part of some, yet, as I believed, a 
part of those to whom my concern extended were not present, 
I did not feel easy without requesting a more general gather- 
ing of the people on the next day, if Friends felt free for it ; 
but, even those professing to be sound Friends appeared to 
be afraid to accede to my request. 

From here we went to Troy, on second day, and from there 
on third day, to Westmoreland, where we met with kind 
Friends, and the following evening had a large meeting at a 
small village called Hampton, in which I had much enlarge- 
ment amongst a mixed company of Baptists, Methodists, &c, 
and the following evening had a small open meeting with the 
Baptists in their own house in another direction, and so stayed 
and attended Friends' meeting on first day, which was an 
open, favored time. Whilst here I felt some drawings in my 
mind to go northward, and visit Friends in the Black River 
country, but we heard the snow was very deep there, so that 
this and other circumstances discouraged us from going at 
present. Third day our friends Isaac Peckham and wife took 



GOSPEL LABOES AT SMYKNA. 501 

us in a sleigh to Brookfield, where we were kindly entertained. 
A meeting was notified for us here which was quite fully- 
attended by Friends and others, notwithstanding it was a 
snowy day, and we had a very open time, although it was 
seen that there was a great want of living concern among 
them. 

From here we went to Smyrna and met with kind enter- 
tainment. Many Friends here seem not to know their own 
standing; for while they think themselves sound Friends 
or call themselves so, they have much charity for the Gurney- 
ites, and a good deal of sympathy with them, and have, by 
being mingled with them in religious society, suffered a loss 
by the insidiousness of the enemy through the leaven of un- 
righteousness, so dangerous to the body if suffered to be 
introduced and to remain in it. This the Saviour of men 
cautioned his people to guard against. Beware of the leaven 
of the Pharisees, said he, which is hypocrisy. A caution 
never more wanted than at the present time, and in our 
Society ; for the leaven of Gurneyism is radical hypocrisy ; 
professing Quakerism whilst its aim is to destroy it, and to 
raise up a different religion upon its ruins. 

On first day we attended their meeting, and found that many 
of their neighbors had the knowledge of our being there, so 
that the meeting was very large ; and truly I was never more 
sensible of the great necessity of being furnished with a little of 
that wisdom which is from above, than now ; and I long waited 
for it, and was mercifully helped to preach the gospel in the 
demonstration of the Spirit, and as I trust to divide the word 
of Truth to their several conditions, insisting upon the neces- 
sity of the hearts of the individual members being clean and 
pure, in order that the church, the body of Christ, should be 
pure, and as the apostle said without spot or wrinkle, so that 
his will might be done by the church on earth as it is done by 
the church in heaven ; alluding to the time which we read of 
in Holy Scripture, when " there was war in heaven," Michael 
with his angels fighting against the dragon ; when the dragon 
with his angels was cast out. And that we might see from 
the divers interpositions of the divine power and Providence 
that it has always been His will to separate the evil from the 
good amongst men, that he might have a pure people amongst 



502 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

whom to place his name, — a church with whom he would 
delight to dwell. I referred to the separation of those who 
feared him in Noah's time, and to the separation of his people 
Israel from the Egyptians by a pillar of fire by night and a pil- 
lar of cloud by day ; and also to the separation of those who 
approached his altar with offerings of strange fire, from his 
true Israel ; and to the Lord's commandments to his people 
when they possessed the land of promise, that they should 
not mingle with the nations who knew not God, but should 
drive them out, lest they should be corrupted with their images 
and their doctrines ; for that his people must be pure and holy. 
I also cited Christ's parable of the vineyard, showing that the 
branches must be like the vine, for truly all those branches 
which are withered, are and must be broken off and can bear 
no fruit. It was further shown that the old adversary had 
never failed, whenever the Almighty had effected a reforma- 
tion, or had gathered to himself a church and people, to at- 
tempt to allure them away from their allegiance to him, or 
to draw them to the wilderness, bestiring himself with his 
every effort, and with his artful delusions, to frustrate the 
Lord's purposes in obtaining for himself a holy people with 
whom he might be pleased to dwell. Very extensive and 
arduous were my labors here, and my blessed Master was 
near and went before, and fulfilled his early and gracious 
promise, that he would be to those who trusted in him a 
mouth and wisdom which their adversaries should not be able 
to gainsay or condemn. 

We had a public meeting the same afternoon in the Meth- 
odist house at Smyrna village which was attended by nearly 
the whole body of Friends thereaway and by many others. 
This was also a time of great openness ; strength and enlarge- 
ment being mercifully given in the promulgation of the ever- 
lasting gospel, in which the way of life and salvation was 
clearly explained and set forth. 

On second day we reached Westmoreland again, and, not 
feeling easy to leave Friends of Leray Quarter, in the Black 
River country, on third day, the first of 3d mo., we set out for 
those parts and passed some meetings by, way not opening to 
attend them. On fourth day we travelled through very deep 
snow to Lowville, and next day attended their Preparative 



SERVICES IN LEEAY QUARTER. 503 

Meeting in which I had good service through the abounding 
of best help ; and although there were strong Gurneyites in 
this meeting, yet they were so softened and brought down 
as to let us sit in their Meeting for business, without objec- 
tion. We lodged the following night at the house of Thomas 
Townsend, an aged Friend; here we made some attempts 
for a meeting in the Methodists' house, but the afternoon and 
evening were so very snowy that the meeting was not held. 

Next day went twenty- seven miles to Leray, and the day 
following, with Samuel Child for our guide, we went to In- 
dian River, and put up with Robert Townsend, an elder in 
Society ; to him we applied for a meeting that afternoon or 
evening ; and after some consultation it was concluded to 
have it at 7 o'clock that evening. This meeting was said to 
be attended by every one of their members and divers others. 
It was a highly favored meeting, and the Friends were very 
loving and affectionate. We tarried all night at R. Towns- 
end's, and he and wife were very kind to us. Next day re- 
turned to Leray, and attended their first day meeting, which 
was large, other people having heard of our being expected 
there. 

Here I was greatly enlarged in delivering the gospel mes- 
sage, commencing with the passage, " No man knoweth 
the things of a man, but the spirit of a man within him, so 
no man knoweth the things of God, but the spirit of God," 
setting forth the utter insufficiency of the wisdom of man to 
comprehend or demonstrate the things of God ; and it was a 
very solemn time — an opportunity worth travelling far to ob- 
tain. 

We went from this meeting to Samuel Child's where we 
were kindly cared for by him and his wife, and had the com- 
pany of two of his brothers. 

Next morning we parted with our kind friends Isaac Peck- 
ham and wife ; and took cars at Watertown for Rome, and 
then to Auburn, and so by carriage to Poplar Ridge On third 
day we went to see our valued, aged Friends, Wm. King and 
wife, and their two sons John and Alfred, with their wives. 
This family had of latter time emigrated from England and 
settled here. We put up this night with our friends Joseph 
and Winnefred Chace, and the next day attended their Pre- 



504 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

parative Meeting ; in which I felt and expressed a living con- 
cern that those few who appear to have been chosen to stand 
by the ancient testimonies of Friends, in New York, might 
live so near to the blessed Master, and so entirely put their 
trust in him, as to be enabled to fulfil his purpose in calling 
them to their allotment, so exceedingly important : and that 
they might wait on him in great humility for strength and 
wisdom ; referring for their encouragement to the wonderful 
deliverance of the Lord's people formerly, by a very few men 
under the hand of Gideon — and that it was so ordained that 
man might not claim the glory of such deliverance — referring 
also to the simplicity of the means, the lamp in the pitcher, 
&c. It was a solid instructive time. After meeting, in com- 
pany with John King, we dined at Abiel Gardner's, and went 
to the house of our friend Job Otis to lodge. On the follow- 
ing day we made several visits to our beloved friends, and 
next day went over the lake to Ulysses, and were met at the 
shore by friends who kindly cared for us ; and next day we 
called on the families of Friends in that vicinity, and had a 
meeting at evening in the Methodist Meeting-house at Jack- 
son village; and I did indeed feel thankful for the help af- 
forded. The minister, and most of his hearers had never 
before been at a meeting of Friends ; and they expressed 
much satisfaction. The meeting was large and the service 
extensive. 

On first day morning we attended Friends' Meeting at 
Hector, and public notice being given, the meeting was large, 
and, as I trust, to the honor of Truth. At 4 o'clock the same 
afternoon we had a meeting at a Baptist Meeting-house at 
Searsburg, which was large, and we were favored with best 
help, in showing that Christianity is the same now that it was 
in the days of Christ's personal appearance, and in the apos- 
tle's time — that in itself it had not in the least degree changed 
or diminished in life and power ; and that the present lapsed 
condition of the professors of it was owing to their misgiv- 
ings and want of faith and faithfulness to its manifestations 
and operations in the soul. 

I referred to Christ's charge to his disciples on the first oc- 
casion of his sending them forth — to his promises unto them ; 
and furthermore, to his referring to those promises in his 



ACCIDENT ON RAILWAY— NARROW ESCAPE. 505 

charge to them at the time of his last personal interview with 
them — comparing the latter also with John's testimony of him, 
contrasting his own baptism with that of Christ, which is with 
the Holy Ghost ; the one unto repentance, the other to the 
thorough purgation of the hearts and affections of men. In 
this service, help and strength, mouth and wisdom were ad- 
mirably given. Most of the principal Friends of Hector 
Meeting were there ; and here I met with dear Lydia Hal- 
lock ; Joseph Tripp and wife being also with us. We went 
with Lydia to the house of her son-in-law, Aaron Mekeel, 
with many dear friends, whose company and conversation 
were comforting. Next day we had the same company to- 
gether at Wm. Mekeel' s. 

From this place we went to my brother-in-law, John Col- 
lins's, where we stayed two nights. While here, in Hector, I 
felt a strong desire to visit Joseph Cole and brothers, in Alle- 
ghany county, (of a family formerly residing in my own neigh- 
borhood, and then in the practice of frequently attending our 
meetings,) but many circumstances seeming to make it dim- 
cult, I felt released, upon writing them an epistle of exhorta- 
tion and counsel. 

On fourth day we attended Hector mid-week meeting, 
and had an excellent parting opportunity with Friends by 
themselves, in which counsel flowed freely in the demonstra- 
tion of the good spirit, and in the fellowship and communion 
of the Holy Ghost. 

On fifth day we left here, and went to Ithaca, and from 
thence by railroad to Owego, where we tarried until some- 
time after 12 o'clock p. m., and then took the express train, 
and went forward with great speed towards the Hudson River, 
until we came to the Delaware, about sunrise, to a place 
where the railroad is cut into the side of a vast ledge of rocks, 
judged by some of our company to be about four hundred 
feet high, nearly perpendicular, and about thirty or forty feet 
above the river, and but just the width of the roadbed from 
the ledge. Here the two hindmost cars ran ofT the track 
towards the ledge, we being in the last ; and we found, by 
examination, a curve in the way just as we came to this per- 
ilous situation, and, also, that several of the rails were broken 
and driven out of their places at different and distinct points. 

43 



506 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

But, whatever the cause, the two cars ran off, as before stated, 
and the wheels of the one in which we were seated fell into a 
w r ater-passage, about eight feet broad, whereby we became 
disengaged from the next car ; and, w T hen so, our course was 
inclined towards the ledge, so as to bring the forepart into con- 
tact with it, which stove it very much to pieces, and brought 
us to a stand at once, and our seats to the floor. Our seat, 
as I remember, was the third or fourth from the front door — 
and, w 7 hat was wonderful, all on board escaped without injury. 

After a half hour's detention, spent in arranging the pas- 
sengers, and placing some in the baggage cars, we were again 
under way. If our car had run off the rails on the opposite 
side, the way was so narrow that we must have been plunged 
into the river. Praised be the Lord for our preservation ! 
Notwithstanding this detention, and thereby failing to meet 
the cars in course, we got on, through Newburg and Pough- 
keepsie, to my children's dwelling, at Washington, the same 
day. The many afflictions, oppositions, and dangers which 
we met with during this journey in New York, brought afresh 
to my mind Paul's enumeration of the perils which had fallen 
to his lot. The enemy strove to deter him from fulfilling the 
Lord's purposes, if not to destroy his life. 

On first day, 20th of 3d mo., we had a meeting in the Con- 
gregational house, at Washington Hollow, in which, I trust, 
the word of Truth was rightly divided amongst the many Lo ! 
heres, and Lo ! theres. 

Third day, 23d, w T e took passage in a barge, and came to 
New York city in the morning, and, after calling on our 
friends, went to Rahway, reaching the house of our dear friend 
Martha Wood before night. We lodged here, and next day 
attended their mid-week meeting, which was open and sat- 
isfactory. After meeting, going to the depot, we met with 
our dear friend William Hill, and all went on together to our 
friend Sarah Healy's, where we met with our dear friends 
Elizabeth Pitfield and Lydia Reeve, with Sarah's children. 
Mutually glad we were to see each other. On the following 
day we had an appointed meeting there at 3 o'clock, which 
was large, and considerable labor fell to my lot ; yet much 
deliberation and care seemed needful in feeling for the right 
stepping-stones. E. Pitfield was exercised acceptably in sup- 



WOODBURY AND SALEM MONTHLY MEETINGS. 507 

plication. We lodged that night with George W. Brown, E. 
Pitfield also being there. Next day George took us to Bur- 
lington, where W. R. Hazard parted with us, and we went on 
to Ezra Haines's, at Rancocus, and dined ; he and wife open- 
hearted, plain-spoken, sound Friends. Afternoon we went to 
Josiah R. Reeve's, and our rejoicing to see each other was 
mutual and full of consolation. Here we tarried the night, 
and on first day morning attended their meeting, at Medford, 
where much arduous labor was called for at my hands, and in 
hearing the ancient doctrines of Truth set forth the minds of 
many seemed to be tendered. Afternoon, Josiah and his wife 
went with us to Moorestown, where we had a meeting, at 3 
o'clock the same day, long silent, but comfortable in the end, 
in the delivery of a short, lively testimony. After meeting 
we went to the house of our dear aged friends Ebenezer and 
Rachel Roberts, where a number of other dear friends met us, 
and we were much refreshed together. 

Second day afternoon we travelled twelve miles, and lodged 
at Hughes Bell's, and the following morning attended Wood- 
bury Monthly Meeting, in which I was mercifully helped and 
much enlarged in bearing a living testimony to the power of 
the gospel of Christ our Lord. We went on that afternoon 
towards Salem, and lodged at the house of William Carpenter, 
(a sound, understanding Friend,) and on fourth day attended 
Salem Monthly Meeting, where I was enabled to bear testi- 
mony to the doctrines of Friends, but which, as appeared in 
the sequel, gave great offence to the two persons who sat near 
us. When the meeting for business was opened, one of them 
said there was a person present who was not a member of 
the Society, and therefore had no right to sit in that meeting, 
which assumption was seconded by the other, but denied by 
four Friends in the meeting. I then mentioned that if that 
meeting did not see cause to pay any deference to the de- 
cision of their own Yearly Meeting, but desired me to go out, 
I was very free to do so ; on which they poured out a volley of 
declamation, and made many charges, saying that I had been 
disowned by my own Monthly, Quarterly, and Yearly Meet- 
ings, &c, &c, and further said that they had a right to pro- 
tect their own meeting. To this I thought best to make no 
reply ; and, having accomplished the service which lay upon 



508 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

me. withdrew, as did also my friends William Hill and Allen 
Roberts ; for when they commanded me to go out, they in- 
cluded those who were with me. 

The objectors to our sitting endeavored to bring more to 
speak against us, but could not. The sound Friends were 
exceedingly grieved at this usage of us, and one elderly man 
did plead very feelingly for our rights, and was broken into 
many tears. But I felt, on leaving the house, very peaceful, 
and enjoyed great consolation by the incomes of the dear 
Saviour's love, who made me willing to suffer reproach for his 
and the gospel's sake. 

After this meeting was over, we went with the elderly 
Friend alluded to — Josiah N. Reeve — six miles, to his house, 
on our way to the next meeting. I found this Josiah N. 
Reeve to be a grandson of Mark Reeve, an eminent minister 
of the last century, who lived at Greenwich. Josiah went 
with us to that place, where we put up with our dear aged 
friend John Sheppard, who has five sons, valuable Friends ; 
and at this place we also met with George Bacon, and his 
wife and children, very hearty Friends. They claim here to 
be all sound Friends, save one, and expressed satisfaction with 
my labors among them. After our visit here, we went back 
with Josiah N. Reeve, and were lodged and cared for in the 
kindest manner by himself, sister and brothers, closely located 
together. From thence we went to Salem, and took boat to 
Newcastle, in Delaware. From this place we proceeded to 
London Grove, in the State of Pennsylvania, to the house of 
our valued friend Morris Cope, who went next day with us 
to Sadsbury, where we put up with our dear friend Priscilla 
Cooper. 

I was pretty long silent at the meeting here, but way finally 
opened for a powerful testimony among them, tending, as I 
trust, to harmonize them together. After this meeting we 
came to the house of our dear friends Isaac and Rebecca 
Hayes, at East Bradford, his brother Benjamin and wife ac- 
companying. On the following day, which was the first of 
the week, we attended that meeting, to good satisfaction, 
where, among other doctrines of Friends, that of the primary 
order and authority of the Holy Spirit before the Holy Scrip- 
ture was largely set forth; but for whose sake I know not, it 



EETURN HOME. 509 

being a Friends' meeting, and no public notice requested. 
After meeting we went home with our dear friend Samuel 
Cope, where we lodged ; and next morning Samuel went 
with us to his brother David Cope's, on our way to Phila- 
delphia, where, on third day, I attended their mid-week meet- 
ing in the Northern District. After this we made divers social 
visits, until sixth day morning, when I parted with many 
dear friends in Philadelphia, and coming on to New York, 
went on board the steamboat that evening, and arrived at 
Westerly next morning, feeling very peaceful and quiet. 

I spent the day with my children and friends here, and the 
morning following, which was the first day of the week, and 
the 10th of 4th mo., 1853, arrived at home, in good health, 
and very thankful for the preservation so mercifully extended 
in many ways. 



43* 



510 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

SECOND VISIT TO EUROPE, IN 1853-4, AND CONCLUSION OF THE 
JOURNAL. 

In the seventh month, 1852, during my wife's sickness, I 
was surprised at the introduction of a prospect of again 
visiting Great Britain and Ireland, in the discharge of religious 
duty ; but the circumstances and position of our Yearly Meet- 
ing, as well as my own standing with relation to those who 
have departed from the original principles of Friends, of which 
description consists the greater part, by far, of those under our 
name in Great Britain and Ireland, made the accomplishment 
of such a visit look difficult. 

The concern however continuing with me, in the 4th mo., 
1853, I obtained a certificate from my own Monthly Meeting 
of its unity therein, and an indorsement thereon by our Quar- 
terly Meeting of its concurrence therewith, in the 5th month. 
This weighty concern was also opened in our Yearly Meeting 
of Ministers and Elders in the 6th month, and its full approba- 
tion and sympathy being expressed, a certificate was granted, 
fully liberating me to proceed in that important and appar- 
ently difficult service in those countries. 

Considering my advanced age, it seemed indispensable that 
some one should bear me company ; and as no other suitable 
Friend presented, my children concluded that one of their 
number would go with me, and, in the result, my second son 
Amos C. Wilbur, gave up his business for the time, and 
kindly consented to be my companion and sharer in the trib- 
ulations attendant on such an undertaking. 

The following letter was received from his friend Lydia A. 
Barclay, before he left home on this important visit : — 

Aberdeen, 6th of 7th mo., 1853. 

MY DEAR AND VALUED FRIEND JOHN WILBUR, 

***** Thy last letter, this week, has greatly comforted 
me, in that thou hast been strengthened to see clearly, and act faithfully 



EMBARKS ON SECOND VISIT TO GREAT BRITAIN. 511 

and humbly in this awful matter, and that way has seemed to open to 
go forward, and that thou art preserved peaceful, and like a servant 
waiting for thy Master's further revealings and commands, willing to 
obey them ! and I w T as much struck with the way in which thou seems 
called to go — viz : to London (as it were the heart and capitol of the 
enemy's kingdom !) first. I see the heavenly "Wisdom in the leading ; 
although the affectionate part in me longs to see thee first, and I had 
been hoping thou might have recruited after thy voyage under my cot- 
tage roof! but I see now it is best otherwise, so I must have patience. 
I have been trying to think how I might help thee in any way. But 
oh ! my dear and honored friend, thou knowest on whom help is laid, 
and who can hold up thy head amidst all the billows — so I crave thou 
mayest be preserved from looking at what may await thee, but simply 
and humbly lean on him who hath hitherto helped ! Oh ! I earnestly 
crave, if consistent with the divine will, that thy bodily health may be 
kept up amidst it all, for I know how greatly it is affected by suffer- 
ing of mind. ***** 

Thy nearly united and affectionate friend, 

Lydia A. Barclay. 



We went on board the steamship Niagara at Boston, under 
the command of Captain Leitch, which left that port on the 
28th of 9th mo., 1853, and reached Liverpool on the 9th of 
10th mo., eleven days at sea, mostly good weather. 

On landing in Liverpool we went directly to the house of 
our dear friend Margaret Crosfield, with whom, and her valu- 
able husband George Crosfield, I lodged when before in Eng- 
land. She received us gladly and very cordially, and made 
us as comfortable as we could be, under the deep exercise of 
mind that lay heavily upon us, with the prospect of very try- 
ing and difficult service before us. 

Went to see Thomas Thompson the oldest and principal 
Elder in this place, whose carriage towards us, and treatment, 
was apparently cordial and affectionate, expressing a great deal 
of sorrow and pity for me, in my condition ; but before parting, 
seemed greatly disposed to discourage my proceeding on this 
visit, and to turn me back, by telling me that my going into 
any meetings of Friends in this country would be very dissat- 
isfactory, and that any attempt to speak in them would be 
more so ; he also expressed a doubt of its being borne with, 



512 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

and averred that I was not a member of the Society of 
Friends. I observed to him, that a person who had trans- 
gressed no discipline, but was dealt with and disowned in 
violation of discipline, was, nevertheless, rightfully a member 
of the Society, according to the discipline, both of New Eng- 
land and Old England ; and inquired of him whether he had 
unity with J. J. Gurney and his doctrines, to which he replied, 
that he had good unity with him as a Gospel Minister, and 
that his writings were very much unexceptionable ! Hereupon 
I cited to him several items which stand in contradiction to 
Robert Barclay ; to which he replied, that there were divers 
passages in the Apology from which he dissented. He raised 
a general charge against the controversial writings of the 
early Friends, which evinced, as he said, too much bitter- 
ness of spirit, adding, that many of these writings were more 
fit for the fire than for the public eye, including many of the 
writings of George Fox and those of Edward Burrough by 
name, and not excepting any in this general animadversion. 

I observed to him that the Almighty always had, from the 
beginning, a controversy with all evil, and consequently all 
his faithful servants had to proclaim it and to bear testimony 
against the evil ; and cited him to the holy prophets and to 
Christ himself, and his apostles, who testified with no less 
plainness of speech, against the iniquities of men, than did 
the early Friends; hence, I said I see no more reason for 
accusing the early Friends with bitterness in controversy than 
we have to charge the holy men of old with the same thing. 

On Fifth day morning the 13th, we went to Manchester, 
and sat their week-day meeting, in which I had no opening 
in the ministry, but was induced to believe that there were 
some present who were endeavoring to worship the Father 
in spirit and in truth. At the close of the meeting, many 
Friends of the foremost rank gathered around us, and shook 
hands very cordially, some of them inviting us to their houses. 
We went home with our dear friend Hannah Harrison, the 
widow of the late honest and faithful John Harrison, who sup- 
ported the cause of Truth, regardless of consequences. She 
is grand-daughter of the Jane Crosfield, at whose house John 
Woolman speaks of resting a few days. She is an honest, 
agreeable woman, and a true Friend. 



INCIDENTS AT MANCHESTER. 513 

A number of the Friends alluded to came and spent the 
evening with us at H. H.'s, with whom we had much agree- 
able conversation ; and they desired to know what my general 
or particular prospects were. I told them, as to particulars, I 
could not tell how I might be led, but my general prospects 
were not to be stirring up strife, but to attend Friends' Meet- 
ings, and if way opened for it, to labor therein, as I might be 
led ; with which they seemed satisfied. I also told them 
that no small object in view was to visit the seed, and to 
strengthen the things that are ready to die. 

Sixth day, the 14th, Elizabeth Midgely, a ministering 
Friend of Rochdale, called to see us ; she appears to be of the 
primitive stamp, and expressed a desire that the peace of 
God might abide and remain with me. I saw her father and 
grandfather, both living when I was in England before, but 
now both deceased — her father quite recently. Last evening 
a young man from Leeds, by the name of Daniel Pickard, 
called to see us, who said that when he heard of my coming 
again to England, it warmed his heart within him — and ex- 
pressed a strong desire for us to come to Leeds. 

Our dear friend Lydia A. Barclay came here on sixth day, 
greatly to our comfort. I became acquainted with her twenty- 
one years ago, and upwards, and have corresponded with her 
frequently since, but had not expected ever to see her face 
again in mutability, until since this prospect opened in my 
mind, which made the meeting more interesting, she being 
faithful to the ancient doctrines of Friends. 

We stayed here and attended their two meetings on first 
day, in which I had nothing given me to communicate, but 
she had a short, lively testimony in the afternoon. I was 
abundantly satisfied in the will of my divine Master, that 
silence should be my lot, and am convinced that it did more 
for the promotion of the cause of Truth, under the present 
circumstances in this place, than could have been effected by 
any communication by me, at this time. Many Friends 
were very affectionate and loving, and we were invited to a 
Friend's house to tea, where were assembled about twenty 
Friends, by whom much unity with me was freely expressed, 
and felt to prevail, as well as much sympathy on account of 
the great sufferings and afflictions which had fallen to my lot. 



514 JOUBNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

J. B , a minister, and the only one here, was one of the com- 
pany. We were in company, while here, with a considerable 
number of Friends who seem resolved to hold fast to sound 
doctrines ; and to have a hope that the current of unsound 
doctrine is rather on the ebb in this land. 

On second day morning we parted with dear L. A. Bar- 
clay and H. Harrison, and took the cars for Birmingham, 
ninety miles ; and a more peaceful and joyful day I think I 
never had than this — the fruit of obedience to the Divine 
mind and will at Manchester. My heart was indeed full of 
praise and thanksgiving to the name of Him who had thus 
marvellously kept and directed me, and turned my great afflic- 
tions and anguish of spirit, into joy unspeakable; and the 
glory was ascribed to everlasting Goodness. 

At Birmingham, we were kindly and affectionately enter- 
tained by Samuel King and family, where also came in his 
brother William, Eliza Brady, and Henry Kenway ; the latter, 
on parting, expressed a hope that I might be favored to fulfil 
the purpose of coming over on this visit. 

On third day, 18th, we went to London, by railway, one 
hundred and thirteen miles, and put up at a boarding-house, 
kept for Friends, by William Hughes. 

Fourth day, Robert Forster and Samuel Cash, members of 
a committee of their Meeting for Sufferings, appointed in 
anticipation of our coming, called to see me, ostensibly for 
the purpose of dissuading me from the pursuit of my concern ; 
they referred to my standing as a disowned member, and sep- 
arated from the body with which they correspond in New 
England, and are in unity, adding, that if I attempted to 
speak in any meeting, the audience would be informed, at 
the close, that I was not a member of the Society. I told 
them that according to both their discipline and ours, if a 
person was dealt with and disowned, contrary to discipline, 
his right of membership was not annulled or prejudiced 
thereby ; and that Philadelphia Yearly Meeting had clearly 
shown that my disownment was palpably at variance with 
our discipline. R. F. said that all Yearly Meetings were 
independent bodies, and consequently, they had nothing 
to do with New England Yearly Meeting, whether right or 
wrong. 



MEETS SUB-COMMITTEE OF MEETING FOR SUFFERINGS. 515 

I replied, that we would suppose some one of the Yearly 
Meetings had departed entirely from our doctrines, and wholly 
disregarded our discipline, whether London Yearly Meeting 
would hold itself bound to sustain the unity, and continue 
the correspondence ? On attempting to reply to this ques- 
tion, he found so much difficulty that he speedily turned from 
it. Bat I asked him how they knew which was the genuine 
Yearly Meeting of New England, seeing they did not go into 
an official examination of the case ? He said they knew by 
the names of the correspondents. He was then asked, that 
seeing there was great dissension in New England at the 
time, how he knew those correspondents were on the side of 
Truth ? To this, there was no less difficulty in answering 
than before. But he said that no Yearly Meeting had any right 
to inquire into the proceedings of another ; in reply to which, 
he was reminded that both bodies in New England appealed to 
London for the decision of the controversy, and both offered 
their arguments to prove the legitimacy of their claim to be 
New England Yearly Meeting of Friends, it being agreed 
that there could be but one. And inasmuch as both parties 
submitted the decision of the case to London Yearly Meet- 
ing, that Meeting had a plain, full, and just right, and it 
became their duty to investigate the case, and then judge, 
whereas they had refused to make such investigation, and 
had come to a decision without it. 

Here, again the difficulty of answering occurred. But, to 
refer to the forepart of the conference again, they asked what 
my prospect of service was. I told them, to visit the Meet- 
ings of Friends, and to appoint some among other people ; 
not with any view to stir up strife, but, if required by my 
divine Master, to preach the doctrines of true Christianity; 
which I had no hesitation in saying were fully believed and 
practised by our first Friends, and demonstated by their writ- 
ings to be the doctrines of true Christianity, as set forth in the 
New Testament. 

And reference was made to the modern doctrines sent 
abroad by one of their number, which had been the principal 
cause of dissension and disunity in America. 

They attempted to excuse the Society from responsibility 
on this ground, by saying that it was the business of the 



516 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

Monthly Meeting where the writer resided to see to that : 
well, suppose the Monthly Meeting do not see to it? why, 
then it falls upon the Quarterly Meeting ; well, suppose the 
Quarterly Meeting do not notice the case, what then becomes 
of it? which again brought hesitation. Well, then, I said, 
I should think that the Yearly Meeting, or the Meeting for 
Sufferings, or the Morning Meeting, must necessarily be re- 
sponsible for the publication of such doctrines, as the con- 
stituted guardians of the testimonies and doctrines of the 
Society ; to which no direct reply was made. 

And the reasonable and undeniable ground was taken by 
us that the Yearly Meeting of London does stand account- 
able for the great trouble and dissension in the Society in 
America, because it has suffered its members to publish and 
send there, doctrines which are contradictory to the doctrines 
of Friends, which unsound doctrines it was in their power to 
have suppressed, and which it was their imperative duty to 
suppress. This stands as a great delinquency of duty against 
London Yearly Meeting and its Meeting for Sufferings. 

The subject of judging a case without a hearing was 
brought before them, or even without an inquiry into the cir- 
cumstances and claims of the parties, showing that even the 
heathens were more just than to do so ; than to do as divers of 
the Yearly Meetings had done, in judging the New England 
case. They had a special law and usage among the Romans, 
before the Christian era, that no man should be condemned 
without a fair trial, or without a hearing ; of which R. F. and 
S. C. were reminded ; and they were also reminded how alto- 
gether better qualified a tribunal must be, to give a righteous 
judgment, after examining and hearing a case, than without 
taking such steps — that Philadelphia Yearly Meeting had 
investigated the matter of our right to attend Meetings for 
discipline abroad, and determined that we have that right. 

Fifth day, the 20th, we were invited and went to Totten- 
ham, dined at R. Forster's and took tea at G. Stacy's, tarried 
there all night and on sixth day morning called on Edward 
May, then returned to the city, and went at eleven o'clock to 
meet the whole committee of the Meeting for Sufferings at 
their request. This committee consisted of eight members, 
Robert Forster, Samuel Cash, George Stacy, Samuel Gurney, 



INTERVIEW WITH THE COMMITTEE AT LARGE. 517 

Peter Bedford, Thomas Norton, Samuel Fox, and Thomas 
Chalk, seven of whom were present. 

R. Forster opened the case by saying that on fourth day 
he and Samuel Cash had informed John Wilbur that the com- 
mittee were unwilling that he should attend the meetings of 
Friends in this country, and that if he attempted to speak in 
them, the meeting at the close would be informed that he was 
not a member of the Society, which conclusion was approved 
by several of the committee. I informed them that myself 
and companion came there by the request of two of their 
number for the purpose of conferring with them on the sub- 
ject introduced to us on fourth day, and supposed that, as they 
did not admit that we were members of the Society, they 
would not claim to have any jurisdiction over us ; and sub- 
joined, that in this conference we would answer all reasonable 
questions that they should see fit to propound ; and hoped 
that in the same freedom they would give us such reasonable 
information as we might desire, to which, I think they made 
no reply. They said a good deal of the sympathy they felt 
for us, nevertheless that they could not do otherwise than re- 
ject me as a minister, inasmuch as I had been separated from 
the body in New England, which London Yearly Meeting had 
decided was the true body of Friends there ; but it was sug- 
gested by us that the decision of that meeting (London) was 
liable to be incorrect, seeing it was done at once without an 
investigation of both accounts sent from the two bodies ; to 
which they replied, that they had nothing to do with that 
matter. We told them that Philadelphia Yearly Meeting 
having instituted a careful and impartial inquiry, decided that 
the larger body had in many instances, in their proceedings, 
violated the discipline, and their acts had been oppressive, 
and subversive of the rights of individuals &c. — to which 
little or no reply was made. Subsequently, I told them that 
if they carried out the conclusion come to of publicly saying 
in the meetings, that I was not a member of the Society, we 
should be under the necessity of explaining, in some way or 
other to Friends in this country, the whole affair of my pre- 
tended disownment; and that I felt it right at the present 
time, if Friends would be patient to hear me, to go into a 
brief defence of my case ; and although some expression of 

44 



518 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

dissent was heard, yet after a short pause, I stood up, and 
observed that their discipline and ours (in that respect alike) 
decided that if an individual was dealt with and disowned 
in a manner contrary to discipline, his right of membership 
was not impaired thereby, even if he had done things im- 
proper, (because the error of the church tends to greater evil 
than the errors of an individual ;) but that in this case, abun- 
dant evidence could be adduced to prove that the error was 
exclusively on the part of those who dealt with, and disowned 
me. This has been demonstrated by those whose rights were 
wrongfully taken from them ; and clearly and ably shown to 
be so by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, who, although they 
may not be considered here, so competent as London, yet the 
deliberate examination of all the particulars and circumstan- 
ces of the case, entered into by them, preponderates largely 
in favor of awarding to Philadelphia, a just and legitimate 
decision of this case, as set forth in their Report of it, and 
summed up in that part contained between pages 29 and 38. 
And besides, that I attended that Yearly Meeting in 1852, 
even after the case was so plainly stated and decided in the 
document here alluded to, and an objection was made on the 
first day, to my sitting in that meeting, and the subject pretty 
fully discussed, and when all appeared satisfied with speaking 
on both sides, the clerk at the table decided that I had a 
right to a seat in their meetings for business ; and I further 
stated, that at that time I found no obstruction to attending 
their subordinate meetings for business, and appointing meet- 
ings in Friends meeting-houses, when occasion offered, which 
was frequent. I also told them that in New York Yearly 
Meeting, very similarly situated to this in England in most 
respects, I was allowed to relieve my mind at all times freely, 
and that I always left them feeling better towards me than 
when I first met with them. And further, that those of other 
societies in our land, had always (with a single exception) 
freely opened their houses, and heard me patiently and glad- 
ly, although they do not see with us eye to eye ; but the 
savor attending the communications of real Friends on such 
occasions, makes them generally satisfactory. I then recurred 
to the entire coincidence of the doctrines of Friends with 
primitive Christianity, and stated that I had no hesitation in 



CONCLUSION OF THE INTERVIEW. 519 

believing them to have been satisfactorily proved to be pure 
Christianity, by the early writers in the Society, and practical 
in their working and operation on the mind of man; and 
that when lived up to, they will lead, and did lead our fore- 
fathers, as their memorials abundantly show, to a triumphant 
conclusion and translation to a glorious immortality ; and I 
expressed a fervent desire that Friends everywhere, might ad- 
here to these dignified Christian doctrines. But inasmuch as 
the larger body in New England hold that the modern views, 
added to the ancient, are an improvement, and make out a 
more perfect system, and as these new views came from this 
side the water, I would desire Friends here, if they have in- 
deed found an improvement upon the doctrines and testimo- 
nies of Friends, (being so competent to set it forth,) that they 
would furnish us therewith, that we might carry it over to our 
people in America ; and said to them that it was a satisfac- 
tion to me to have the opportunity thus to explain my own 
standing in America, and the concern which I felt for the 
safety and prosperity of all those under our name, and could 
have desired that a greater number of Friends might have 
been present. 

[The foregoing is a summary of the conversation, which 
occurred, as near as could be remembered, and is substantially 
correct.] 

On seventh day we went to Lewes, and from thence to 
our friend John Rickman's, at Wellingham. He and his wife 
and family were truly kind to us. His daughters Rachel, 
Priscilla, and Matilda are valuable Friends, the two former 
acceptable ministers. We attended both their meetings the 
next day, the first a pretty open time ; and we lodged with 
this dear family until fourth day, when we attended their 
week-day meeting, in which I was raised up in testimony in 
a comfortable and relieving manner. At this place was the 
first of my opening my mouth in the ministry since landing 
in England, that is, in a meeting for worship. 

On fourth day, the 26th, went to Brighton, where we lodged 
at Danie] P. Hack's, and next day attended their meeting, 
where Grover Kemp placed us on a low side seat, but where 
I had a short lively testimony, citing the people to Christ, our 
Saviour — to be adhered to in preference to man. At the 



520 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

close, a man named Charles Tyler said to the meeting, that 
" this man who has spoken so much to us, is not certificated, 
nor a member of the Society," to which I replied that I sup- 
posed Friends did not understand the case, and if desired, it 
would be explained after meeting. But they were very shy 
of us, scarcely one offering a hand, and none inviting us to 
their houses. 

After meeting we had much conversation with D. P. and 
E. Hack, and found them, contrary to our expectation, decid- 
edly for the new doctrines. He said that I ought to have 
submitted to my disownment, and continued to meet with 
those who had disowned me ; and now thought it wrong for 
me to proceed any further in this way, but that I ought to re- 
turn directly to America. I heard him patiently, supposing 
it was something he had in charge from those whom we had 
seen in London. When he had done, I stated the case to 
him, substantially as I had stated it to those in London ; upon 
which they seemed to grow pensive, or otherwise were con- 
founded, and knew not what to say ; but, to do them justice, 
they treated us very kindly. At parting he expressed a great 
desire that they with me might be favored to meet in Para- 
dise — that we might do nothing that might deprive us of such 
happiness ; to which I replied that I could freely subscribe to 
this. 

Not having fully relieved my mind whilst with these friends, 
I wrote them from Dorking as follows : — 

Dorking, 10th mo., 30th, 1853. 

MY DEAR FEIEKDS DAINIEL, P. A2*D ELIZA HACK. 

We hardly feel satisfied to get entirely away from your quarter 
without acknowledging on paper your almost unexampled kindness and 
attention in sustaining us and making us comfortable so long in the 
good things which this world affords ; and also to reciprocate the kind 
concern which D. manifested on our parting for my well being. Noth- 
ing more could he have desired or asked for the dearest friend he has 
in this world; and I thought it most probable that it might be on 
account of his apprehension of the danger that I am in of missing the 
great end of our existence — the attainment of life eternal. And if so 
it made his remarks the more kind and interesting. But, under what- 
ever apprehension they were made, I can again respond thereto and 
thank him for his good will and good desires for my everlasting hap- 
piness. And truly my dear friends I do also feel concerned for you, 



LETTER TO D. P. AND E. HACK. 521 

and for all like you who are " to give account " for the faithful perform- 
ance of their stewardship, as watchmen at their posts upon the walls 
of our Zion — to blow the trumpet, giving it a certain sound, not giving 
the token for peace when an enemy is approaching, or even within 
the camp. Oh ! if the sentinels should through an apprehension of 
great safety fall into a slumber, then will our old watchful foe per- 
ceive it, and will not fail to take advantage of it, as he is at this day 
working most insidiously in the dark, yet crying peace ! peace ! even 
in the day of imminent danger to the Lord's people. I perceive that you 
have not much if any concern about the modern doctrines abroad in the 
Society, although adverse and contradictory to the dignified and funda- 
mental doctrines of Friends, which latter have been proved most fully 
and most clearly, not only by many early writers but by those of later 
time to be in perfect accordance with the doctrines of our blessed Lord 
and his apostles, in which a true and living faith is essential, in order 
for a correct walking in that holy way which leads to eternal life. 
That eminent apostle Paul saw the necessity of guarding against every 
appearance of evil, well knowing the tendency of the unrighteous 
leaven (though never so little) to increase and leaven the whole lump. 
This understanding of the apostle undoubtedly led him to protest most 
decidedly against the introduction of unsound doctrines into the church. 
" If any man or an angel from heaven bring in any other doctrine than 
that ye have heard of us, let him be accursed ; and the apostle John 
writes to the same purpose. And I was surprised to find you with those 
testimonies before you so indifferent as to the dangers which are conse- 
quent upon such introduction of error — such contradiction of fundamen- 
tal doctrines as have been brought in. Or can it be that your apparent 
indifference is owing to your having adopted the new doctrines believing 
them to accord with the doctrines of Friends? Inasmuch then as 
either indifference or deception and false views must endanger the 
well-being of those who have known the Truth as it is in Jesus, I do 
feel concerned for you who I am persuaded have had clearer views ; 
yea, too clear a vision to be misled by the devices of men, principalities 
or powers. And I do desire, my dear friends, that you would go 
directly to the blessed Master who hath the light of life, which if you 
do unreservedly, I hope and trust he will give you to see the snare 
which the enemy lays for our feet. 

It was for my loyalty to the true doctrines of the gospel as professed 
and demonstrated by Friends, and to the discipline and testimonies of 
our religious Society, that I was reprehended by false brethren in New 
England, who inflicted the most cruel punishment in their power upon me, 
and even separated me from their community because I testified against 
those false doctrines^ thus furnishing clear and undeniable evidence 
44* 



522 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

that they themselves had received and believed in them. And as it is 
unreasonable to suppose that any body of professing Christians would 
excommunicate a member for denying a doctrine which themselves do 
not believe, (it being a contradiction in terms, and a thing which the 
best or worst never do,) we then have it clearly demonstrated that the 
" larger body " in New England hold to the doctrines which they per- 
secuted me for refusing, and of course are not Friends. And would it 
be marvellous if the Head of the church should yet raise up and anoint 
some who belong to no society to go into your meetings in England, 
and preach Christ just as George Fox preached ? agreeably to scripture 
testimony " Aliens shall be your ploughmen, and strangers shall stand 
and feed the flocks." Greatly desiring your present and everlasting 
good I subscribe myself your real and much interested friend. 

John Wilbur. 

On seventh day, the 29th of 10th month, we came to John 
Cheal's, near Ifield, and lodged, and next day he and wife 
took us to Capel Meeting, where we met with a little number 
of dear sound Friends ; and although I went there in the 
greatest degree of poverty and weakness, yet on sitting down 
at the Master's bidding the water became wine, and out of 
weakness there came forth strength, and a memorable time we 
had together. Much encouragement was offered to this little 
number, on condition of their faithful devotion to their divine 
Master and to his cause ; and in the course of this service, a 
prophetic view of things to come was opened, and a belief 
was expressed that the Lord was on his way to get him honor, 
and that he would overturn, overturn, overturn, until his own 
work shall be accomplished. 

After this meeting we dined at John Dale's, and he took us 
to Dorking, where we attended their afternoon meeting, in 
which my mouth was opened on the remarkable analogy be- 
tween the light of the sun in the firmament, the outward 
light, and the light of Christ ; of Him who said, " I am the 
light of the world, he that followeth me shall not walk in 
darkness, but shall have the light of life " — a spiritual and in- 
ward light. As the material sun is the light and life of the 
outward man, and the outward world, so the Sun of Right- 
eousness is the light and life of the inner man. And as a 
future life is of eternal duration, and this but short, that which 
would fit us for the former, must be of infinitely more impor- 



MEETING AT CROYDON. 523 

tance than anything which contributes to the support of the 
latter. The forlorn condition of man if he were totally de- 
prived of the material sun, which enlightens and warms the 
whole earth, was set forth, and compared to that of an exclu- 
sion, through unbelief, from the shining of the Sun of Right- 
eousness, so essential to the life of the inner man, and to his 
growth and fruitfulness in the Lord's heritage. And consid- 
erable was also said of the great necessity of a change of 
heart, and of the breath of divine life being breathed into the 
soul, to the effecting of our salvation. We were not inter- 
rupted in this meeting, though by far the greater part ap- 
peared to embrace the new doctrines. 

We stayed here at George Hay man's until third day, the 
2d of 11th mo., when we left Dorking, and went to Croydon, 
and put up at a public house. In the evening, called on Peter 
Bedford, who professed much kind feeling, but was very rife 
in his accusations, and discovered underneath, much bitterness 
of spirit, savoring too much of his, who was called the accuser 
of the brethren. He affirmed that I told him, when I was at 
his house in 1832, that there would be a division in the Society 
in England, and that Charles Osborne would bring it about. 
On my firmly and confidently denying the charge, he gave it 
up. But one thing we gained by going to see him, we brought 
him to confess the truth, as to his faith. He and Thomas 
Norton both acknowledged their full belief in the doctrines 
of J. J. Gurney, neither of them having any ears to hear any- 
thing to the contrary. 

Next day we attended meeting at Croydon, and therein re- 
ferred to Christ's exhortation to one of the churches, namely, 
" Hold fast that which thou hast," referring to the circum- 
stance that there had been a direct intercourse between the 
heavens and the earth, through the days of the Patriarchs and 
the Prophets ; that God had continued to reveal himself through 
Jesus Christ, immediately to his creature man, but that the 
professing Christian church had become enveloped in dark- 
ness ; and since that time, by reason of the unfitness of its 
professors, the testimony of Jesus, which is revelation, had 
been much withheld therefrom until our early Friends were 
prepared to receive it, and to walk faithfully by its guidance, 
as the rule of life, and thus this unspeakable blessing to the 



524 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

church was again restored ; and how exceedingly essential is 
it for her that " she hold fast that which she hath." And the 
Saviour's invitation on a certain occasion, was brought to 
view, " If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. 
He that believeth in me, out of his heart shall flow rivers of 
living water; and this spake he of the Spirit, which they 
that believe in him shall receive," for no man can impart 
it, unless he receive it. And the glory of this dignified prin- 
ciple was further illustrated by our Saviour's doctrine con- 
cerning himself; " I am the true shepherd ; the true shepherd 
putteth forth his own sheep, and goeth before them, and they 
hear his voice, but the voice of a stranger they will not follow." 

We became acquainted, whilst here, with a number of hon- 
est-hearted Friends. The measures resorted to, to destroy our 
influence, and to prevent our service for the Truth, produced 
no small sensation among the people, and tended to bind the 
honest ones more closely together, and cause them the more 

fully to sympathize with us. P B did what he could 

at the close of the meeting, to reproach me, and thereby to 
destroy the effect of my testimony, without any reference to 
what I had delivered in the meeting. We had several 
precious opportunities with the faithful Friends here, to their 
great comfort and strengthening, and to our satisfaction. At 
these times we also had the company of several dear Friends 
from Dorking and Capel, where we had been. 

On fifth day, the 3d, went to London again and put up 
at Wm. Hughes's as before. On sixth day, the Meeting for 
Sufferings again met, and took up the subject of our continu- 
ing to attend their meetings, and enlisting the sympathy and 
kind feelings of so many Friends. At this time, it seems they 
undertook to lay a greater restraint upon Friends receiving 
us, and formed a minute of their advice to all their members 
through the nation ; and Robert Forster and Samuel Cash 
were appointed to see us again, and read to us their proceed- 
ings. On their doing so, I requested a copy, which they 
promised to furnish. We had much free talk with them, and 
drew them out to a full confession of their unity with J. J. 
Gurney and his doctrines ; and they hesitated not to defend 
some of the most absurd of them, which I quoted, but pretty 
soon, Robert desired that I would quote no more ! 



CIRCULAR OF THE MEETING FOR SUFFERINGS. 525 

The following is a copy of the Minute referred to : — 

At a Meeting for Sufferings, held 4th of 11th mo., 1853. 

This meeting thinks it proper to remind Friends in the different 
parts of the nation, that in the year 1829, a minute was adopted by 
our Yearly Meeting, to the effect that no individual coming from 
America was to be at liberty to travel amongst us in the work of the 
ministry, until his certificates had been authenticated by this meeting. 

Information is received by this meeting that John Wilbur, formerly 
a member and a minister in New England Yearly Meeting, is arrived 
in this country and has been visiting some meetings of Friends in the 
professed character of a minister. No certificates on his behalf have 
been presented to this meeting, and through a communication received 
from the Meeting for Sufferings in New England, this meeting is offi- 
cially informed, that John Wilbur is not a member of our religious 
Society. 

Under these circumstances, and in accordance with the minute of 
the Yearly Meeting, by which this meeting is intrusted with a general 
care of whatever may arise during the intervals of that meeting affect- 
ing our religious Society and requiring immediate attention, this meet- 
ing feels it to be its duty to put Friends on their guard, against doing 
or allowing any act not in accordance with the true Christian order 
of our religious Society, or with the decision of our own Yearly Meet- 
ing in the year 1846, when it recorded its conclusion not to receive a 
communication from the body which had seceded from New England 
Yearly Meeting, and with which body John Wilbur is now connected. 

This meeting trusts that Friends everywhere, acting in the meekness 
of wisdom, yet in the firmness and consistency of Christian principle 
and in accordance with gospel order, will carefully refrain from ad- 
mitting John Wilbur into our Meetings for Discipline, or accepting 
him either in our meetings for worship, or in our families in the char- 
acter of a minister. 

Signed on behalf of the meeting, 

Eobert Forster, Clerk. 

On first day, 6th, we went to Devonshire House Meeting, 
where an openness to receive us was seen and felt, and much 
openness to declare the Truth among them, was witnessed. 
The subjects of prayer, of sincerity — a prominent characteristic 
of Christianity — and of doing the divine will on earth, as it 
is done in heaven, were opened and enlarged upon, and it 
was shown that the primary Christian intention, as also that 
of our early Friends, was to establish a church below, pure 
and holy, resembling the church in heaven. 



526 JOUENAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

After meeting, a great number of Friends of both sexes, 
gathered round us, with smiling countenances, giving us their 
hands in a manner which gave testimony of their unity of 
feeling. 

In the afternoon, attended Westminster Meeting, through- 
out which great darkness, as a thick covering, was over us. 
A formal, lifeless prayer was made ; but it did seem to me 
that there was no help for them, as a body ; therefore I was 
not allowed to speak to them. 

Second and third days I was much unwell, but went as 
far as Tottenham on the latter day, where we took lodgings 
at a tavern. On fifth day, the 10th, went to their meeting 
here, and was led to recur to the efforts which the enemy had 
always made to frustrate the Lord's good purpose, in causing 
an advancement unto righteousness among men, and in gath- 
ering to himself a people who should serve him, and do honor 
to his holy name ; referring to the Israelitish church, formed 
in Moses' time, and to the Christian church, established by 
our Lord and his apostles, and how Satan did bestir himself, 
and how lamentably successful he was, in causing the Lord's 
people to depart from his law, and from his covenant and in 
bringing them under the power of darkness. And that, since 
primitive Christianity was revived by our first Friends, his ef- 
forts had not been wanting, to seek for the destroying of the 
doctrines and testimonies of the Truth, as held by them. I 
exhorted Friends to be aware of his designs herein, and was 
much enlarged in testimony. 

At the approach of the Meeting for business, (for it was 
their Monthly Meeting,) one Paul Bevan said, " the person 
present who had intruded himself upon the meeting, was not 
a member of our Society." Dr. Edward May, a minister, 
said, " he did not think that which had been offered in that 
meeting was any intrusion," and a Friend who sat back said, 
" he agreed with E. M. that there had been no intrusion ; for 
that he had good unity with what had been said." As I rose 
up to leave the house, I said that if the Friends of that meet- 
ing did not agree with me in principle, all I could say was, 
that I was sorry for it. Two Friends followed us out, and 
said to us, that there were many in that meeting, who were 
united with us in sentiment, and both invited us to their 



LETTER FROM L. A. BARCLAY TO HIS DAUGHTER. 527 

houses, with one of whom, Wm, Edmonds, we dined, and 
took tea with Dr. May, at the request of himself and wife — 
found them apparently sound, but afraid of a separation. 
This fear has been so industriously and universally instilled 
into the minds of Friends in this country, that if ever the hon- 
est ones are delivered, it must most likely be in some other 
way ; — a way perhaps not altogether hidden from those whose 
eyes have been anointed to see clearly. The younger class 
of the Society seem rapidly leaving it, so that very few of the 
families, even of the leading men, are now left in the Society ; 
and no marvel, for they have opened a wide door for it ; and 
themselves are going off the stage of action, so that, by and 
by, there may be none left to oppress the honest-hearted. 

The following letter from Lydia A. Barclay, to his daugh- 
ter at home, gives some further account of his trials and 
services at this time : — 



Aberdeen, 10th of 11th mo., 1853. 



MY DEAR FRIEND, 



******* Thy (j ear f a ther is in the Lord's holy 
keeping I cannot doubt, and shall not be forsaken or made desolate, 
but shall be as the apple of the eye kept from hurt ; and I have often in 
regard to him remembered that expression, " Touch not mine anointed, 
and do my prophets no harm." I had been very anxious about 
him, and it was an unspeakable relief to me to hear he was favored 
to land in safety ; and on the 14th of last month I went to meet him in 
Manchester, and was sorry to find I had by mistake of post missed 
him a whole day, not knowing he was there. We met at the house of 
the widow of my nearly united friend, John Harrison, a true valiant 
in the Lamb's army, not a mere fireside warrior ! Ah ! I cannot tell 
thee how rejoiced I was to see him, we embraced each other in that 
pure love and holy fellowship, which neither the mighty waters of the 
ocean, nor yet the floods of affliction, can ever quench, nor had they 
quenched, during the twenty-one years that had elapsed since we last 
parted in London, after a sweet time of heavenly feeding and strength- 
ening together. There are but few left now of that interesting party ; 
and what is worse far, that which thy dear father had been made to 
foretell, has come to pass exactly. He attended Manchester Meeting 
three times in silence, sitting under the gallery (to my great trial to 
sit above him). Two dear Friends made way for him above, but a 
third, an elder of the modern school, pushed them on, and suffered it 
not. "We dined at our quarters, and several came in to see him, and 



528 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

on the same evening, we took tea at the house of one of the above 
elders ; where we met twenty of such as uphold our ancient principles, 
and a sweet evening we had sharing his converse, which partook much 
of a ministerial character, (a thing much out of date with us nowa- 
days, the glory having sadly departed from our Israel !) but more than 
all, there was a feeling of the dear Master's presence and power over 
and among us, that cemented and strengthened us together ; and we 
parted with comfort and praise in our hearts. Next morning we 
reluctantly parted ; we went homeward, and they went on by Bir- 
mingham. 

I may here say that thy dear father is greatly bowed and shrunk by 
age in these twenty years of deep affliction, but his vigor of mind, and 
lively zeal, and courage to go forth to battle for the precious cause's 
sake, appears to me unabated. I thought there seemed at Manches- 
ter much curiosity to see and hear him ; and Friends must have been 
quite unprepared (by the many evil reports spread latterly against him) 
to see such a sweet placid-looking old patriarch, so humble and unob- 
trusive. I do trust his visit may do away with much prejudice, and 
open the eyes of many, as well as be the means of comforting and 
strengthening the rightly exercised and tribulated remnant among 

11Q ^Jr ^r vfc t£ yfc 

My dear friend, how awful does it seem to me that any should reject 
his ministry ; surely the dust off the feet of the truly anointed servants 
shall rise up at the day of judgment against these rejecters ! And is it 
not said it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah, than for 
those where this is the case ? I tremble for these Friends ; surely it 
will be brought home to them at a future day ! 

The Meeting for Sufferings finding that the means they had hitherto 
adopted had failed to deter Friends from receiving him in their houses 
and associating with him, have adopted a more vigorous expedient, 
viz : to print and largely circulate, a Minute of theirs, charging 
Friends to refrain from receiving him into their meetings and houses 
as a minister, and saying they had official information from America, 
that he had been disowned by that Yearly Meeting, with which our 
Yearly Meeting is in unity, and corresponds! And they sent two 
of their number to hand the same to him; and Amos says that in 
the course of the conversation that ensued, they avowed their approval 
of and unity with J. J. G-urney's writings, especially with that sen- 
tence where he condemns Barclay, Penn, and Pennington ! So thou 
may see in what a state our poor Meeting for Sufferings is, — not 
worthy the honorable name of Quakers ! * * * There is no 
seeking for the wisdom or judgment of Truth, though there may be at 
times a slight mock show of it ! You know better than I can describe 



MEETINGS AT SUDBURY. 529 

(having tasted thereof) the great affliction of belonging to such a 
mixed church ! But I trust in the Lord's time we shall be delivered 
and purified ; and oh ! saith my soul, may it be in his will, time, and 
way, and not ours, nor by any wisdom or activity of the creature, that no 
flesh may glory in his sight, but that the praise, thanksgiving, and glory 
may all flow unto his holy and ever blessed name ! Oh ! to be pre- 
served humble, watchful, and faithful ; and the good end that crowns 
all, and is peace, shall be obtained through unbounded grace ! Thy 
dear father was likely to visit a few of the meetings in and about 
London, and then to go towards Suffolk and Essex, I believe. My 
cry is daily for his help and preservation, and I have a humble trust 
it will not go unanswered, to the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, who is 
pitiful, tender, and all powerful. 

Thy sincere and affectionate friend, 

Ltdia A. Barclay. 

On sixth day went to Sudbury, and lodged at John 
King's, and on first day attended their meetings. In the 
morning, had a very open time, in referring to the perils 
which had ever awaited the church, in all ages, but particu- 
larly citing the account in Holy Writ, of Israel on the bor- 
ders of Moab, and of the purpose of the King of Moab to 
destroy them, calling on Balaam, saying, " Come curse me 
Jacob, come defy me Israel;" following the account, that 
when Balaam lifted up his eyes, and saw Israel abiding 
in his tents, he exclaimed, "there shall be no enchantment 
against Jacob, nor divination against Israel;" mentioning, 
also, that a place of safety was always desirable for the 
Lord's people, and quoted the words, " The Lord is thy tent, 
O Jacob, and thy tabernacle, O Israel," — that here is our 
only place of safety in times of trouble, &c, and was much 
enlarged on divers Christian doctrines. Here, notwithstand- 
ing the edict from the Meeting for Sufferings, prohibitory of 
their receiving me, as a minister, had come to hand, they as- 
signed to me the " top of the meeting," (as they call it here,) 
and made no objection to us, in any way. 

On third day we went to Bury, and there attempted a 
public meeting, which, on account of a noted lecture, failed 
for that evening ; and next day, being their market-day, we 
could not have it, and so we left for Bakewell, in Derbyshire ; 
where we arrived on sixth day night, and were received gladly 
45 



530 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

and affectionately by Friends there ; we lodged at William 
Gauntley's. On first day morning, the 20th, attended their 
meeting, to good satisfaction, and notwithstanding the efforts 
of the Meeting for Sufferings, I was received with marked 
approbation in the fellowship of the gospel, by these honest- 
hearted Friends at Bakewell, who cheerfully assisted in ob- 
taining for me, a meeting for the inhabitants of the town, 
which was a very large gathering, and proved to be a truly 
satisfactory meeting, in which Christ was preached, in the 
demonstration of the Spirit. 

On fifth day, the 24th, went to Monyash, and attended 
their mid-week meeting, having good, open service among 
them, they receiving us cordially and affectionately. Re- 
turned to Bakewell, and on seventh day, the 26th, went to 
Sheffield, and on First day, attended their fore and afternoon 
meetings — silent in the morning, but in the afternoon had a 
fine and open time, in testifying of the great purpose, inten- 
tion, and power of the gospel, in the deliverance of men from 
their fallen condition, greatly to the relief and peace of my 
own mind ; — found a few honest Friends there, though much 
uninformed of the state of things in the Society. Lodged 
the first night at an inn, and the second, at John Haywood 
Jones's, where we were kindly and affectionately entertained. 
On second day we returned to Bakewell, and on third day 
I was engaged in preparing a Circular letter, containing stric- 
tures, which I had previously penned, on the Circular of the 
Meeting for Sufferings, which had, in some places, succeeded 
in making Friends believe that I am a wilful and unauthor- 
ized intruder upon Friends here in England, and which has 
made my service hard and trying, meeting with so many that 
have been set against me by the said document, sent before- 
hand into all parts of the nation. Hence it seemed highly 
needful, in some way or other, to place the thing on right 
ground, as was the practice of the ancient Friends, when they 
were attacked ; and no better way being seen than by a let- 
ter addressed to a few Friends, in different parts of the 
country, to be printed and sent ' by mail, this mode was 
adopted — all which we hope to accomplish in a few days. 

First day, the 4th, attended their meeting at Bakewell, in 
the morning, and at two o'clock had a meeting at Longston, 



HIS CIRCULAR LETTER. 531 

with Congregationalists and others ; and a door of utterance 
was largely opened, and matter suited to their condition, was 
freely and mercifully furnished, and we returned to Bakewell 
in great peace. The same evening, attended their afternoon 
meeting at Bakewell, in which I had something to offer, 
suited, as I trust, to the condition of those present, some of 
whom are not members of the Society. On second day, had 
large meeting at Monyash, in the Methodist house, wherein 
I was greatly helped to declare the doctrines of the gospel, 
and it was a very solemn time. 

My Circular letter before alluded to having been printed 
at Manchester, it was now forwarded to persons in most parts 
of the nation. 

The following is a copy of the same : — 



Manchester, 12th Month, 1853. 

DEAR FKIEND, 

It is evident from a document recently put in circulation in all parts 
of the Society under our name in this nation, that the body which de- 
nominates itself a Meeting for Sufferings, is prepared, in full, to in- 
dorse the acts and proceedings of a body of people in New England, 
who have seceded from the doctrines of Friends, and have, in- a palpa- 
ble manner, violated their discipline, in defence of unsound doctrines, 
and in defence of the writers of those unsound doctrines ; and who 
have, by these acts, brought about a separation in the Society of 
Friends in New England aforesaid. And if those composing the 
Meeting for Sufferings are the deputed representatives of London 
Yearly Meeting, and are invested with the authority of said Yearly 
Meeting, then that Yearly Meeting would seem to be involved, and to 
stand accountable in this indorsement of such acts of the said body in 
New England, and have therefore become a party with them in those 
acts, and have made one common cause with them ; and all this with- 
out making any official inquiry or examination into the charges of 
apostasy that were preferred against that body so seceding. This 
lapse from Friends' doctrines was seen and testified against, by those 
who stood fast in keeping to and upholding the doctrines of the New 
Testament as most faithfully held by our worthy predecessors; and 
efforts were not wanting on their part to reclaim those who had thus 
departed. By the same Friends were also brought to view, the un- 
hallowed attempts, by certain publications, to modify and change these 
pure doctrines ; and they raised their testimony against these proceed- 
ings, the doing of which was agreeable to the commands of the Lord 



532 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

to the holy prophets, and to the example and command of our Lord 
and his apostles ; because exposing of the evil is as essential as the 
promulgation of the good, in the wisdom of Divine Providence, and 
therefore indispensable for a discrimination between the good and the 
evil ; and there is scarcely to be found in the Bible, a view more fully 
inculcated, since the discrimination was made to our first parents. 

But how comes it about that London Yearly Meeting, and a coordi- 
nate body in America, with whom it is in full correspondence, (which, 
in point of intelligence and stability of religious character, was believed 
to be inferior to none in that country or elsewhere,) should decide the 
New England question in so different a manner ? To this question we 
can hardly conceive of more than two ways of responding. One would 
seem to be this : — because one of these Yearly Meetings made an offi- 
cial and thorough investigation into the facts and circumstances adduced 
on both sides, whilst the other attended only to the representations on 
one side ; which leads to the inquiry whether such partial decision is 
considered by the issuers of the document (if we might be allowed to 
use their own language) to be " acting in the meekness of wisdom, yet 
in the firmness and consistency of Christian principle, and in accord- 
ance with gospel order ? " Each body in New England appealed to 
London Yearly Meeting on behalf of the justness of its cause, yet but 
one of these bodies could obtain a hearing, and that was the body which 
supported the unsound doctrines. With what confidence, then, can 
the Meeting for Sufferings exhort individuals or meetings to act upon 
Christian principles, when themselves have so palpably violated the 
rules of a just judicature ? 

The second mode of answering the interrogatory may probably be, 
by adverting to the unison in doctrine between the issuers of this docu- 
ment of the Meeting for Sufferings and the seceders in New England, 
which is now so well known ; this may very likely be the reason why 
they desired not to look into the case, lest the disparity between their 
views and those upheld by Barclay, Penn, and Pennington, should too 
plainly appear ; and why they chose to own the seceders and to refuse 
those of the ancient order ; they as well as their coordinates in New 
England, being so partial to their author and his sentiments, as not 
only to extol him, but also to vindicate his doctrines ; hence there is no 
marvel that they consider me to be out of unity with them. But in 
thus writing of your Meeting for Sufferings as a body, I have no wish 
to include every individual member of it, or to hurt any tender mind ; 
far be it from me, believing, as I do that there are those among them 
who remain steadfast to those principles for which our early predeces- 
sors suffered so much, though they may not often declare their allegi- 
ance openly. But since I have now come to this country, and have 



HIS CIRCULAE LETTER. 533 

had conversation with some members of that meeting, I have found 
them, with few exceptions, to be flecidedly in unison with the sentiments 
of their author, even where he condemns Barclay, Penn, and Penning- 
ton ; hence I do admit that they are not in unity with me, or with the 
Yearly Meeting to which I belong. In principle they deny me, and 
consequently I am unable to own them ; and therefore did not feel 
the liberty to offer them my credentials, they having now adopted sen- 
timents contradictory to those understood to be held by the Society in 
1829. Notwithstanding, if they will now come forward, and disclaim 
the new doctrines, acquitting themselves of them, it would afford 
much satisfaction to the undersigned, as well as to many Friends on 
both sides of the Atlantic, who have no desire to entertain a feeling of 
disunity, but rather that all might be joined together by those bonds 
which ought never to be broken. 

Under present circumstances it is more easy to my mind not to attend 
any Meetings for Discipline, under the control of those holding unsound 
views ; my concern here rather is, to inculcate the doctrines of Friends, 
and to impress them upon the minds of those I meet with ; because 
there has never been any other root, producing so good fruit as that 
of Christ in man, a doctrine proved by more than twenty testimonies, 
from Christ and his apostles, it being the work of Christ within us, as 
well as the work of Christ without us, that brings salvation ; and I find 
a seed in this nation that is not ashamed of the cross of Christ, nor of 
his doctrines, which shone forth so conspicuously in George Fox. And, 
notwithstanding the document that has been issued against me, I still do 
not feel as though I should be clear in the sight of my divine Master, 
without endeavoring to visit that suffering seed in this land, such as 
may be willing to receive me ; having been impressively reminded 
with reference to the before-mentioned paper, of the reply of Peter 
and John, when commanded not to speak at all, nor teach in the name 
of Jesus : — " Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto 
you more than unto God, judge ye." 

If a man be prepared honestly to adopt the sublime language of Job, 
" Behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high," he will 
be enabled to stand fast in the Lord ; but if he vindicate the wrong, 
and refuse to condemn it, all his professions of the right will avail him 
nothing. Seeing the Meeting for Sufferings has condescended to speak 
so freely of a low and humble messenger, who, if he had not been so 
noticed, might have passed quietly along, thinking himself to be but as 
a solitary individual ; they will therefore, he trusts, allow him to vindi- 
cate not his own name, but the cause of Truth; though unworthy to 
be compared at all with one who said, " After whom is the king of Is- 
rael come out ? after a flea ? " He who could command the legions of 
45* 



534 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

Israel went forth with a strong band in pursuit of one who wished him 
no harm, nor yet any evil, but much good for the Lord's cause and peo- 
ple. But the Lord, in whose hands were the destinies of Israel, took 
care of his own cause, and suffered not Saul to destroy David, but 
caused David's drooping spirits to be sustained by the gathering unto 
him of a few congenial souls who were prepared to share a common lot 
with him. David could not refrain from honoring the horn in Samu- 
el's hand, which had once shed the oil upon the head of Saul ; and 
therefore desired not his life ; but only took his skirt as a proof of his 
own fidelity. Saul's mind, filled with jealousy, resorted not to the dic- 
tates of best wisdom in deciding the most important questions, but was 
actuated by the strongest prejudice and fear for his own supposed 
safety, and therefore could not even listen to the just pleadings of 
Ahimilech. But the third incumbent on the throne of Israel sought 
for wisdom, and by wisdom was led to hear the statements of both the 
claimants for the living child, thereby being enabled in a remarkable 
manner to make a righteous decision, and to give the living child to its 
own mother. Therefore, let not my dear fellow-probationers chide me, 
for I have come here in the fear of the Lord, and in my small measure 
for the upholding of his testimonies. 

Now, if further testimony be needed, — besides my well-authenticated 
and accrediting certificates from our Monthly and Quarterly Meetings, 
and from our Select Yearly Meeting of Friends for New England, 
which have been presented to a deputation from the Meeting for Suf- 
ferings, — in relation to my right of membership, I will adduce the tes- 
timony of that disinterested coordinate body, above alluded to, (the 
Yearly Meeting of Philadelphia ;) they say : " When, therefore, as in 
the present case, two bodies come before a Yearly Meeting, both under 
the same title, and each claiming to be the coordinate branch of the 
Society bearing that name, it becomes its duty, under the guidance of 
divine Wisdom, to inquire into the circumstances of the case; and 
that it may not withhold from those to whom they belong, the precious 
rights and privileges, which membership in our Society confers." — 
" From the statements put forth by both bodies, it appears clear to us 
that important principles and usages of the Society, as well as private 
rights, have been disregarded in the progress of the transactions therein 
recorded. Some of the most prominent points in which this has been 
done, appear to us to be the following." — (See pages 29 to 38, " Phil- 
adelphia Report.") After which they say : " Although the manner 
in which this separation was effected, was not such as we think affords 
a precedent in the organization of a Yearly Meeting, yet inasmuch as 
those Friends, who compose the smaller body appear to have acted 
from a sincere desire to maintain the doctrines and discipline of the 



PRECIOUS EVIDENCE OF DIVINE FAVOR. 535 

Society, and the rights secured by it to all its members ; and had been 
subjected to proceedings oppressive in their character, and in violation 
of the acknowledged principles of church government — we believe that 
they continue to be entitled to the rights of membership, and to such 
acknowledgement from their brethren as may be necessary for secur- 
ing the enjoyment of these rights." Then speaking further of the 
larger body, they say : " Their acts have gone to condemn many who 
have been standing for the ancient faith of Friends, and against the 
introduction of error ; that in so doing, wrong opinions have received 
support, and the discipline and rights of members have been violated ; 
and that it was the course pursued by them in these transactions which 
led to the separation. Until, therefore, these proceedings shall be rec- 
tified or annulled, we see not how unity is to be restored." 

In conclusion, let me add, that believing controversy for the sake of 
controversy to be wrong, and ever to be avoided, this paper is not in- 
tended to lead to unavailing disputation ; but I would remind such as 
are fearful of anything which they think may tend to " divide in Jacob 
and scatter in Israel," that from the fall of man to this very day, the 
Lord has had a controversy against evil, and his chosen ones must 
have the same ; and this controversy, far from tending to scatter the 
faithful, unites them in the great work of maintaining that holy " faith 
once delivered unto the saints." 

I remain, with love, thy friend, 

John Wilbur. 

On fifth day, after a solid, melting opportunity with a con- 
siderable number of dear and precious Friends at Bakewell, at 
which season, testimony flowed freely, and my prayers were 
lifted up for their preservation, and for the preservation of all 
the honest-hearted ones in this nation, we took leave, in great 
love and near affection, and went to Manchester, where we 
arrived after dark. Went to dear Hannah Harrison's, and 
lodged with her family, (she not at home.) On sixth day, 
wrote letters to America, and also several letters to Friends 
in England, and at evening took the cars and went to Roch- 
dale, and lodged with my dear and valuable friends Martha 
Midgely and her daughter Elizabeth ; the latter, a minister, 
in whose company and sweet conversation we were much re- 
freshed ; indeed, on the way from Manchester to their habita- 
tion, my mind was wonderfully filled with the Divine pres- 
ence, perhaps to as great a discovery of his love, his wisdom, 
and his power, as I had ever before witnessed ; affording a 



536 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

blessed confirmation of his owning me and my service in this 
land ; to the pouring out of my soul in praise and thanksgiv- 
ing to his great and ever blessed name. 

Although I have been many times under great affliction on 
account of false brethren, and the envious spirit in which they 
treated me, yet the Lord, in the midst of all, hath not forgotten 
to be gracious, but has often, yea, very often favored me with 
the strengthening incomes of his holy presence, love, and 
goodness ; whereby hope and faith have often been renewed 
to us. 

In the afternoon of seventh day, we went to Marsden, dear 
E. Midgely in great kindness, accompanying us most of the 
way, and then returning home. 

On first day, the 11th, attended their meeting at Marsden, 
where I had a lively, searching testimony for such as had 
missed their way, comparing them to a man who had been 
overtaken with darkness, and found himself in the midst of 
a vast howling wilderness, surrounded w r ith beasts of prey, 
and liable, in case of any attempt to advance, to fall from a 
precipice, or to be plunged into an abyss, from which there 
might be no recovery ; setting forth, that if such an one had 
a belief that he could be heard, how great would be his 
cries for some one to come with a light whereby he might 
find his way out, and be delivered from his awful position ; 
from this, very pertinent doctrine was drawn, and applied to 
some conditions present. We lodged here with Caleb Ha- 
worth, a son of the late James Haworth, of the same place, 
who might be denominated a patriarch of our day, a minister 
and elder, worthy of double honor ; and this, his son, with 
whom we sojourn, is a man of a sound mind ; and we think 
there is good ground to hope that he will not depart from the 
faith once delivered to the saints ; and so fully witnessed by 
our faithful predecessors. 

We left Marsden on third day, the 13th, and went to 
Bradford, and put up at an inn, and next day attended their 
mid-week meeting, in which I had an opening, on the passage 
" Blessed is he whosoever is not offended in me ; " and in the 
course of my service, alluded to those who took offence at the 
straitness of the Saviour's words, and went back and walked 
no more with him ; suggesting that the influence of the leaders 



VISIT AT LEEDS-MARY WEIGHT. 537 

of the people, who would not confess him, might conduce to 
that offence, &c, and I was much enlarged, and strength given 
to testify of the liability of our going backwards, and not 
knowing the offence of the Cross to cease, by means of a per- 
fect submission thereto. After meeting, we dined with several 
sound Friends, who were very solicitous that we should stay 
over first day, and attend their meetings ; but having relieved 
my mind so fully, I felt easy, and so went to Leeds the same 
afternoon, where we called on Daniel Pickard, and he went 
with us to see an aged minister by the name of Mary Wright, 
of about 98 years. She is valiant in support of the doctrines 
of early Friends, and in full possession of her mental powers ; 
and holds out to be a living minister.* We first lodged two 
nights with Sarah Tatham, and on sixth day went to Gilder- 
some, and attended the funeral of a Friend, whose many re- 
lations were not members of our Society. In this meeting, I 
had good open service, well adapted to the occasion, help be- 
ing mercifully afforded ; and, as at Bradford, so here, great 
peace and consolation followed my labors. After this, we 
lodged at Joseph Kitching's, as long as we stayed in Leeds. 

On sixth day evening, two leading persons came to us, for 
the purpose of advising and persuading me from persisting in 
proceeding any further on this service, and to return to Amer- 
ica. These men professed to believe both in J. J. Gurney's 
doctrines, fully, and those of the early Friends ; a thing 
altogether impracticable, because many of the former flatly 
contradict the latter. They found much fault with my Circu- 
lar letter, on account of some strong expressions, as they said, 
therein contained ; but I referred them to the plain manner 
in which George Fox, and other early Friends, spoke, using 
much stronger language than I had done, in that letter. 

We attended their fore and afternoon meetings on First 
day, in both which, I was largely engaged in advocating 
Scripture doctrines, as held by our early Friends, and applied 
them to Christian practice and Christian experience ; and, in 
so clear a manner, that the Gurneyites did not attempt, (as 
far as we could learn,) to gainsay any part ; nor yet to in- 
validate my standing, as had, heretofore, been sometimes the 
case. Such a step has not been taken, since the issuing of 

* Deceased within the present year (1859) in the 104th year of her age. 



538 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

my Circular, which seems to have disarmed them for the 
present. On first day evening, there came more than twenty 
Friends voluntarily together, at our lodgings, which afforded 
me a good opportunity to commend them for their faithful- 
ness, in making a stand against the new doctrines, and to en- 
courage and exhort them to stand fast in the Lord, expressing 
an assurance which I had, that if they would hold fast their 
integrity, faithfully, great good awaited them ; and that their 
reward would be sure. Dear old Mary Wright, and four over- 
seers were present. This company of dear Friends agreed 
on, and read to us, a paper, [afterwards signed by them and 
delivered to him,] expressive of their full satisfaction with 
my visit to this country, and particularly so, with my service 
at Leeds ; expressing a full belief that my visit to England 
at this time, is in the ordering of Divine Providence. 

On second day our dear friend Daniel Pickard bearing us 
company, we went to Preston, and lodged, and on third day, 
to Calder Bridge, and on fourth day had a meeting there, at- 
tended by all their members, and a number of other people, 
they having previous knowledge of our expecting to be there 
on that day. In this meeting I was concerned to impress 
upon those present, the necessity of obtaining the right thing, 
and being satisfied with nothing short of it ; — to wit, a meas- 
ure of the divine Life to be witnessed in their hearts. After this 
meeting, we went to Lancaster, where next day we attended 
their mid-week meeting, where the Lord's call by the mouth of 
one of his prophets, to " blow the trumpet in Zion, and to as- 
semble the elders," &c, was brought to view, and the latter part 
impressed, calling on the priests, the Lord's ministers, to weep 
as between the porch and the altar, and let them say, " Spare 
thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach ! 
for wherefore should the heathen rule over us, and wherefore 
should it be said, where is their God ? " A desire was ex- 
pressed that, as pertaining to us, the former days might return 
to us, as a people, and that true Christian zeal might be 
restored to us in such measure as was witnessed by our 
worthy predecessors, and that the testimonies of the Truth, as 
upheld by them, may be upheld by us ; when, if happily so, it 
will not be said, " Where is their God ? " for behold the shout 
of a king will be heard in the camp, because of the victory 



VISIT TO GLASGOW. 539 

that will have been obtained, by the devotion of our whole 
hearts unto God. 

After meeting, went to Carlisle, and put up at an inn, and 
next day attended their meeting, silent ; and after meeting, 
went to Wigton, and called and took tea with Alexander and 
Sarah Dirkin, sound in principle, but somewhat like Joseph of 
Arimathea — disciples, but not openly for fear of the Jews. 
They are afraid to condemn the spurious doctrines brought 
into the Society of later time, lest they should incur the dis- 
pleasure of the leaders of the people ; for the minds of the 
ministers and elders, and through them, many others, if not 
most others have become corrupted, and leavened, more or less, 
into what our Saviour called the doctrine of the Pharisees ; 
they had perverted justice and judgment, and yet were mak- 
ing great professions of fidelity to the law of the Lord, but 
construing and administering it in their own way, keeping the 
outside clean and beautiful, whilst within, he declared, they 
were as ravening wolves. 

On first day, attended their meeting at Bolton, and the 
neighbors obtaining knowledge of our being expected there, 
as many people came as their house would hold ; and I was 
pretty largely opened in the ministry, and in a manner that 
brought peace. Afternoon — attended Wigton Meeting, but 
had nothing, vocally, to communicate. We lodged here at 
our kind friend Robert Dodgson's, where I was unwell, and 
lay by a day or two. On fourth day, went by the Railway to 
Glasgow, and lodged at Robert SmeaPs. Here we met with 
our dear and truly beloved friend, Lydia A. Barclay, she hav- 
ing come all the way from Aberdeen to meet us, and in whose 
company we were refreshed ; she lodging at our friend William 
Smeal's. We attended their mid-week meeting here, and 
those on first day, the 1st of 1st mo., 1854, in which I had 
satisfactory service, although, in the first and last, I was not 
extensively engaged. In that on first day morning, it came 
before me to refer to the efforts which the old adversary had 
always made, when the Lord had effected an improvement, or 
reformation among men, bestirring himself to corrupt and 
turn them back again ; and I referred also to several noted 
epochs in which he had sorrowfully succeeded ; — as in Noah's 
time, when that little church of himself and family were 



540 JOURNAL OF JOHX WILBUR. 

brought out from a wicked w 7 orld, how soon the enemy, in his 
craftiness, seduced them into great folly, and a distrustfulness 
of the Lord's Providence for them, so that they attempted to 
contrive a way themselves for their own salvation, by building 
a Babel which should reach the heavens. Not much more 
foolish were they in this, than are many of the devices of wise 
men, in these our days. The Mosaic reformation, for the seed 
of Abraham, was also spoken of, and how soon the enemy 
turned the people away back from it. And then again, that 
greatest of all events for the deliverance of men from their 
evil way — the coming of our Lord and Saviour, introducing 
the gospel power more fully, for the blotting out of sin, for 
sanctifying the inner man, and the keeping of him from a 
lapse again thereinto. But alas ! after all the most effectual 
means were thus provided, so long as the first nature remains, 
the old enemy takes the advantage by working upon it, and 
seducing man to work in his own way, will, and wisdom, to 
find an easier and shorter way, like the Babel builders, to effect 
the great object of salvation by his own devices. Thus he be- 
comes wise above that which is written, and seeks to evade 
the pain and irksomeness of the cross of Christ, and self-re- 
nunciation, so indispensable for purging out all the leaven of 
unrighteousness from his nature ; and so the Christian church, 
the best of bodies, through those seductions of the enemy, 
working upon the will and wisdom of the creature, fell into a 
grievous lapse and apostasy, from the only true and living way 
of the sanctification, redemption, and salvation of the soul of 
man. From this lapse, a deliverance, even in part, was only 
obtained through great sufferings, and the loss of many lives, 
and there were but few who maintained their fidelity to their 
Lord and Master, through these fiery trials. But further effort 
was made, by George Fox and his fellow-laborers, through 
more and grievous sufferings and persecutions, from the hands 
of high Christian professors, under a gross mistake, like Saul, 
of doing God service. And now again, in this our day, the 
same old deceiver has succeeded in exalting the minds of 
worldly wise and learned men, and seduced them to turn back 
themselves and to turn others back, in many respects, to the 
literal and carnal views of those from whom our predecessors 
came out, and testified against. The authority and influence 



IRELAND-STATE OF SOCIETY THERE. 541 

of these worldly wise ones, are bringing the church, if, indeed 
they have not already brought her, back again, into a great 
declension from the life and power of true Christianity. 

On second day evening, we left Glasgow, and passed over 
the channel to Belfast, in Ireland, that night, and went to Lis- 
burn, and put up at an inn. Being somewhat unwell, and a 
deep snow that fell, whilst here, obstructing the Railway, we 
did not leave Lisburn until first day afternoon, the 8th, so 
that I was at their meeting twice, but had nothing to commu- 
nicate ; yet they had preaching on both occasions — they seem 
to be in a kind of passive subjection to the " Quaker hierarchy " 
in Ireland. After this we went to see Jacob Green, a minister 
who had been twice in America on religious service. He and 
family received us kindly and affectionately ; but he also is 
now borne down by those who bear rule in this land, in the 
upholding of the spurious doctrines of J. J. Gurney, and so 
tries to make a virtue of what he thinks a necessity to obey 
the rulers of his people ; and has come to the conclusion to 
try to live in peace with all men, and so avoid saying or doing 
anything that would offend the Gurneyites ; — a course which, 
I fear, if long continued, will have a paralyzing tendency on 
his own mind. I tried to impress him with a true sense of 
the danger of keeping peace, at the expense of principle, or 
by a sacrifice thereof. After this, on our way to Dublin, we 
called on Charles and Ann Wakefield, both ministers, and 
among the chief Friends in the north of Ireland. These 
Friends had been, but four or five years ago, making a faith- 
ful stand against the doctrinal innovations of later time, made 
upon our principles, and still speak decidedly against the 
writings of J. J. Gurney, but express fall unity with those 
leading members who have imbibed those doctrines, and con- 
sequently are in favor of a decree put forth by those leading 
members requiring all Friends in Ireland, to refuse me as a 
minister. Thus we see what the influence of leading men 
will do, when they are actuated by the love of power, and be- 
guiled with false doctrine. 

We arrived in Dublin on fourth day night, the 12th, and not 

knowing any Friends there, of the ancient order, we took 

lodgings at an inn, and were not known to be there by any 

members of the Society, until meeting time, on sixth day 

46 



542 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

morning, when we went in and sat down among them. Here 
I had a pretty full opening upon the passage of, Christ the 
true Shepherd, and upon the necessity of all his sheep hearing 
his voice, and of distinguishing it from the voice of the stran- 
ger, and upon some other important Christian doctrines. 
After meeting, several Friends came and spoke very kindly to 
us, desiring our company at their houses, but as we were 
bound to Moat the same afternoon, we could not now comply 
with their invitation. 

[Before leaving for Ireland, he received the following letter 
from John Pease, to whom his Circular had been sent ; and 
the succeeding reply was written from Dublin.] 

East Mount Darlington, 12th mo., 16th, 1853. 

RESPECTED FRIEND, JOHN WILBUR, 

I have received thy printed letter, dated at Manchester, 12th 
month of this year. 

I consider it candid in thee to own so freely thy continued dis- 
satisfaction with the writings of a certain author, I suppose our late 
dear Friend, J. J. Gurney ; also, thy disunity with the members of the 
Meeting for Sufferings of London, and the body of those whom they 
represent. I also approve the conclusion thou hast come to, not to at- 
tempt to attend any meeting for discipline in this land ; — but how couldst 
thou have arrived at any other ? At the same time I cannot reconcile 
with such admissions, thy continuing to offer thy ministry to those who 
loved and honored J. J. Gurney, and accept his writings generally ; 
and whose inmost feelings and sense of what is due to the good order of 
the church alike bind them to respect and adhere to the conclusions of 
the body. How an individual can claim to preach amongst a body of 
Christians with whom he is neither in membership nor unity, I cannot un- 
derstand. That there may be those who receive thee as a minister of 
Christ, and that thou art at liberty to visit such, I admit ; — but any in- 
terruption to divine worship is a solemn thing, and however lowly any 
man who allows himself in it may be in his own estimation, those who 
are placed as watchmen are bound to guard against, and in a Christian 
spirit to resist it. For myself, were I to call any minister a Father in 
Christ, and I think I may do so, that Friend and Father in very solemn 
language told me, that whilst devoutly meditating upon J. J. Gurney 
and his position in a Meeting of Ministers and Elders, he was favored 
with a remarkable evidence of the Holy Spirit, (and with such intima- 
tions I know he was well acquainted,) bringing to his remembrance the 
language, " Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophet no harm." I 
have no doubt but that he lived and labored and died in the settled 



LETTER FROM JOHN PEASE AND THE REPLY. 543 

persuasion that J. J. Gurney was an honored instrument in his right 
lot amongst us ; and I never heard so many testimonies or so strong, to 
the service of any man as I heard from place to place, of his labors in 
your land. A similar and growing conviction in unison with all these 
testimonies attend me. I do not indorse his writings or the writings 
of any man or set of men beyond those of the penmen of Holy 
Scripture. 

I believe the early Friends were, many of them, men fearing God. 
I honor their memory ; and the views of gospel Truth, which they 
held and promulgated, I love and adopt far beyond those held by any 
other body, notwithstanding the fallibility of both conception and 
declaration which attached to them in common with all (good) men, but 
the longer I live, the more prayerfully I desire the exaltation of Christ 
and his cause, whatever man has said or may say, " Let God be true, 
and every man a liar." 

Holding (I hope in a good conscience) the foregoing sentiments, I 
can do no other than believe with sorrow that thou hast been long war- 
ring under very mistaken feelings ; and much desire that thou mayest at 
once lay down thy arms and finally obtain peace through our Lord and 
Saviour Jesus Christ. 

Thy sincere friend, 

John Pease. 

This letter is not written to provoke either controversy or extended 
correspondence, which I should decline ; but as an honest reply to what 
I accept as an honest letter from thee. 

I am authorized by my beloved father to say that he entirely unites 
in this letter. 



REPLY TO THE FOREGOING LETTER. 

Dublin, 1st month, 12th, 1854. 

FRIEND JOHN PEASE, 

Thy letter of 12th mo., 16th, was duly received, and no disposition 
to charge thee with unkindness is entertained, nor with a want of can- 
dor in vouching for J. J. Gurney and his sentiments, inasmuch as every 
person has a moral right to entertain such religious sentiments as he 
sincerely believes ; but whether a man of thy capacity, holding to the 
doctrines of J. J. G., would be candid if he professed to be a Quaker, 
is entirely another question ; those doctrines being so obviously con- 
tradictory and repugnant to those of Friends, faithfully held and clearly 
proved for nearly two centuries to be the pure and vital doctrines of 
Christianity, according with the Holy Scriptures. Nor have I been able 



544 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR 

to see the consistency of thy course or that of any others, acknowledging 
full unity and fellowship with a man whose published sentiments on many 
essential and fundamental points of doctrine are thus at variance with, 
and repugnant to Friends' doctrines ; inasmuch as we have the best au- 
thority for saying that, " the tree is known by his fruit," " that a good tree 
cannot bring forth evil fruit," and so forth. And who are there in Eng- 
land that will attempt a public reconciliation of the doctrines of J. J. G. 
with the doctrines of early Friends ? If any one should make such an 
attempt, I presume it would be at the expense of candor, as well as the 
perversion of good sense and sound judgment. Barclay and the other 
early writers, whose doctrines rested on the ground of Truth, had no 
occasion for cavilling, or for perverting the plain and true meaning of the 
Holy Scriptures, because in the Truth there are no evasions, turnings, 
or windings, in the demonstration of its principles. But J. J. G. strives 
in his " Brief Eemarks " to make his readers believe that all the apostle 
meant by the expression " Christ in you," was the incarnation of Christ, 
or God manifested in the flesh. To quote his own words : " The plain 
fact, however, appears to be, that the mystery of which the apostle is 
speaking, is that of the incarnation of the Son of God." "Whereas, 
there are more than twenty passages in Holy Writ which prove the 
correctness of the doctrinal view held by Friends on this point. But 
to prove J. J. G. and his views to be right thou adducest the affirma- 
tive testimonies of many in America who I have no doubt were his 
strong votaries ; and so, according to the numbers, from what I have 
seen and heard, there are as many of Elias Hicks's disciples that would 
eulogize him as much ; a thing of common occurrence in cases of inno- 
vation upon the principles of any Society ; but let the fruits — their doc- 
trines be rather adduced as testimony. I am not at all a stranger to 
the fact that he has made great strides both in Old England and in 
New England, which he has effected by drawing many to his person 
and to his doctrine ; but that no more proves its rectitude than did 
the success of E. H. the truth of his doctrine. They were both un- 
doubtedly sagacious and skilful in gathering many to themselves ! not 
much less so perhaps than was Absalom, who found means to bring 
more men to the field than could David the Lord's anointed. But how- 
ever many and able the adherents of Elias Hicks or J. J. Gurney, 
either party has not adventured to attempt a reconciliation of their re- 
spective doctrines with those of Friends, in a public manner ; though 
often desired to do so, that all might know and understand the improve- 
ment which they profess has been made upon the first principles of 
Friends. Thus having utterly declined, and continuing to do so, is 
ample testimony against their sincerity in Friends' doctrines ; and 
especially when we see so much evasion and reserve in their confes- 



REPLY TO JOHN PEASE. 545 

sions of our faith, leaving so many loopholes through which to 
escape. 

Thou approves the conclusion to which I had come not to attend 
Meetings for Discipline here ; a conclusion arrived at before leaving 
America, provided things here were no better than I expected. We 
had the opportunity of offering ourselves for such attendance before our 
first coming to London, but made no such attempt. Again thou says, 
" At the same time I cannot reconcile with such admission thy continu- 
ing to offer thy ministry to those who loved and honored J. J. Gurney, 
and accept his writings." But is it a mystery to thee, friend John, that 
the Lord's messengers should ever have been sent to preach to those 
in former times differing from them in opinion ? and especially if that 
difference of opinion involved false doctrines or led to erroneous prac- 
tices ? Was it not always the purpose in preaching the gospel, and 
does it not remain so, to reclaim men from wrong things, as well as to 
inculcate the right ? with which if thou art unable to reconcile my 
practice, so I am no better able to reconcile thy views with Scripture 
testimony and practice until thou makes it out that the Gumey people 
are whole and need no physician. 

Thou intimates that I am not a member of the Society ; but by what 
anthority ? and by what authority do the Meeting for Sufferings make 
the same assertion ? Only by an ex parte authority, never having offi- 
cially ascertained by an examination of the New England case them- 
selves ; and therefore how is it that thou or they should be so uncivil 
towards Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, as to contradict them flatly and 
plainly in the decision of the case which they have availed themselves 
of the means of understanding, whilst you have not — they have declared 
me to be a member and entitled to all the rights and privileges thereto 
pertaining, and have practically carried out that decision by receiving 
me both in their yearly, and other meetings for worship and discipline 
as a minister of the gospel of Christ, and therefore such allegations as 
are brought against me here, in this respect, are of no consequence 
to me, however they may affect others. But wilt thou blame me for 
not being satisfied with the proceedings of your Meeting for Sufferings 
in attempting to prevent the accomplishment of a concern which my 
blessed Master has laid upon me ; that is, to visit his people in this 
land, for the purpose of upholding the doctrines and testimonies which 
in his good Providence he revived and gave to our worthy predecessors, 
and required of them to support ? But I have no personal controversy 
with any man or body of men ; yet do not admit of the papal opinion, 
to wit, that the church as it is, cannot err ; nor does it appear that thou 
hast adopted that opinion for all times, inasmuch as the body was al- 
ways made up of individuals ; taking the ground, as I understand thee, 
46* 



546 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

that every man, even in the church, is or was a liar ; but however thou 
mayest be willing to include our early Friends in such a sweeping de- 
nunciation, thou might probably be inclined to spare the present Yearly 
Meeting and the -Meeting for Sufferings from the imputation of varia- 
bleness or shadow of turning. 

Thou impliest that I am in the practice of interrupting meetings for 
divine worship by preaching in them, but I suppose thou wouldst 
agree that if commissioned by the Head of the church so to speak in 
them, that it would not be deemed an interruption to such solemnity ; 
but as thou hast not been present on any such occasion, I would ask 
would it not be well for thee to refrain from judging? 

To prove J. J. Gurney to have been anointed thou cites me to a pas- 
sage of Scripture recommended by some one in relation to his standing, 
and which was told to thee, viz : " Touch not mine anointed, and do my 
prophet no harm." The very same words were once quoted in my 
hearing by a Friend then of eminent standing in America, for the pur- 
pose of screening Elias Hicks from the judgment of Truth. 

And now a word upon thy concluding paragraph : thou sayest 
" holding the foregoing sentiments," and no doubt anxious to sustain 
them, that " thou believest with sorrow that I have been long warring 
under very mistaken feelings, and art led to desire much that I may 
at once lay down my weapons," &c. There is no marvel, that this 
should be thy belief, not knowing or perceiving by reason of the appar- 
ent darkness into which the new views have necessarily plunged thee, 
whether the weapons of a Christian's warfare are carnal or spiritual, by 
any internal evidence. But I desire that the blessed Messenger of the 
new covenant may break into thy soul with a powerful beam of his 
heavenly presence, in such manner as that thou mayest clearly see 
the mystery of iniquity, whereby the enemy is striving to turn this 
people back again to the house whence they came out. 
Thy friend and wellwisher, 

John Wilbur. 

Note. — Instead of proving J. J. G. to be sound by quoting his doc- 
trines, thou hast brought to view the vague sentiments of his votaries ; 
but I would advert briefly to the sentiments of that devoted and faith- 
ful servant of Christ, Thomas Shillitoe, who had known his course of 
life from his youth and had read his writings. He said in his last 
sickness, " I declare that J. J. G. is an Episcopalian, not a Quaker." 
And the editor of a periodical in Boston, who had been furnished with 
his books, declared his doctrines to be as different from those of the 
Society of Friends as Calvinism is different from Arminianism ; and 
this he said without expressing his assent to, or dissent from either 
of those extremes. 



MEETINGS AT MOATE AND CLONMEL. 547 

We went by rail, after sunset, sixty-eight miles, to Moate, 
where our dear friend John G. Sargent met us, and took us 
five miles further, to his residence at Hall, and staying there 
over seventh day, we went with them to their meeting at 
Moate, where I largely bore witness to the apostasies, through 
the devices of the enemy, that had always followed a reforma- 
tion, or recovery of any portion of the people, from a lapsed 
condition ; and closed the list by referring to a lapse from 
principle now prevailing in the Society of Friends, drawing 
them away from the most advanced and dignified ground, 
whereunto the Lord, in his Providence, had called any peo- 
ple in modern times ; and however the enemy is wanting 
in power, he resorts to lies and deceitful devices, in order to 
lure away this people from that holy and honorable ground 
on which their doctrines and testimonies are founded. And 
seeing, how by such devices, he has corrupted the Lord's 
people, subsequent to every effort which he has made for the 
recovery of men from their evil ways, it is of great moment 
to us that we make a firm stand against these devices of the 
enemy, in his attempts to introduce an apostasy into the So- 
ciety of Friends, as he had done into the church of God in 
former ages. 

We attended their meeting at Moate again on fourth 
day, in which I had good open service for the Truth, suit- 
able to their condition, as I believe. On fifth day we left 
Hall, and went back to Dublin, and tarried all night at Joseph 
Glaiser's, who, with his wife, treated us with great kindness, 
John G. Sargent being with us, having kindly undertaken to 
accompany us as far as Waterford. On sixth day we went 
by rail to Clonmel, one hundred and thirty-four miles, and 
took lodgings at an inn, and on first day morning, the 21st, I 
had, in their meeting, an open and enlarged testimony on the 
doctrine of Christ being the messenger of the new covenant 
and on other Christian doctrines, but, in the afternoon, was 
silent. On second day, left Clonmel and went to Waterford. 
and lodged at an inn, and on third day took boat for Bristol, 
where we landed on fourth day, between 1 and 2 p. m., hav- 
ing had a comfortable passage. We put up at an inn, and 
felt very thankful in being preserved in crossing the water in 
these perilous times, many vessels and ships at sea having 



548 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

of late been lost, through the violence of the wind and storms. 
This passage from Waterford to Bristol is called about two 
hundred and twenty miles. 

Fifth day morning, the 25th, Henry Hunt sent a carriage 
and took us to his house (his wife being an old acquaintance). 
We had much conversation on the state of things in the So- 
ciety. She professes to hold fast the original doctrines of 
Friends, yet is so inconsistent as to say that she thinks there 
is very little in Gurney's doctrines that varies from the ancient 
principles of Friends, and also professes to believe that J. J. 
G. was a good Christian — an idea that has been, with so much 
pains circulated everywhere, that even some pretty sound 
Friends have been made to believe it, and this, notwithstand- 
ing the manifest inconsistency and hypocrisy by which he was 
marked, in professing to hold to the ancient principles of 
Friends, as he was sometimes compelled to do to maintain 
his standing, while, at the same time, he labored so hard to 
undermine and overthrow many of their most valued and dis- 
tinguishing doctrines. 

On sixth day attended their mid-week meeting — small, and, 
on my part, silent; but divers were starting up and speaking, 
as I thought, to no profit. After meeting, went home with 
William Tanner, who married Sarah, the only one remaining 
of Daniel Wheeler's children. We stayed, and attended their 
morning meeting on first day, which was large, and strength 
and understanding were afforded to preach the gospel in the 
authority of Truth, and much to the softening of those who 
were our opposers, some of whom had previously requested us 
to desist from pursuing our prospect any further. On second 
day morning E. Hunt sent for us again to her house, and ap- 
peared desirous of an alliance, and of signing conditions of 
peace, and labored to make me believe that their best minis- 
ters preached just such doctrines as I did there the day before. 
She was apparently very affectionate, and I spoke kindly to 
her, hoping she had received some benefit by our visit. Sec- 
ond day afternoon, the 30th, went to Bath, and next day was at 
their mid-week meeting — on fourth day at Melksham, and on 
fifth day at Reading, all open, favored meetings, and wisdom 
was given to preach the gospel with clearness and in Divine 
authority, and, truly, there is an evident increase of openness 



RETURN TO LONDON. -JACOB POST. 549 

to receive us. At Reading they were very desirous that we 
would stop and attend another meeting with them, but our 
arrangements having been made, and word sent forward, and 
the minds of Friends here left under very good feelings, we 
thought best to go forward. We came to Croydon on seventh 
day, the 4th of second month, and attended both their meet- 
ings on first day. In the morning I was largely engaged in 
delivering the Truth among them, much to the comfort of the 
honest-hearted — the savor of life unto life to them, but of 
death unto death to those who are lost. In the afternoon I 
had nothing to offer among them. 

On second day, the 6th, came to London, and put up again 
at William Hughes's, in Scott's Yard, and on third day was 
at their mid-week meeting, at Southwark, London, which 
was very small, compared to its numbers twenty-one years 
ago; and however low things were felt to be, and out of 
order, yet I had a lively opening in the gospel, and was en- 
abled to set things home to the witness for God in themselves 
and the Truth was raised into dominion, to the comfort of 
Friends and shame of mine enemies ; and one Thomas Norton, 
an elder, was constrained to acknowledge the overshadowing 
of the presence of the Saviour, and said that, although he was 
one of those who issued the Circular, and which he would still 
recommend to my consideration, yet he could but say that he 
hoped I should be favored to get safely home, and experience 
the reward of peace. On fourth day, the 8th, went to the 
Peel meeting, in the city, where a Friend expressed a thank- 
fulness that I had not passed them by. We had an open, 
searching time, and the gospel current flowed freely. Jacob 
Post, an elder, who sits at the head of this meeting, invited 
us home with him, and entertained us very kindly, and his 
sister was also truly kind. He is in his eightieth year, and 
very intelligent. We had much interesting conversation on 
the state of things in the Society; and, although he is not 
fully aware of the imminent danger in which the Society is 
involved, yet appears to be sound himself in our doctrines, 
and says that J. J. Gurney was idolized by Friends in this 
country. He has published several small volumes upon the 
doctrines of Friends. On parting, he freely expressed a de- 
sire that the blessing of Heaven might rest upon me, and that 



550 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

I might reach my home in safety. On fifth day, the 9th, went 
to Stoke-Newington meeting, and never was greater favor 
vouchsafed to me than on this occasion, as I believe ; for truly, 
as David said, " the Lord showed me a token for good, that 
mine enemies might see it and be ashamed ; " and the gospel 
doctrines ran forth through me, (who feel myself to be, for 
meanness, but as a trumpet of a ram's horn,) with great clear- 
ness, and with life and power; and whilst the creature is 
humbled, the Lord's great and holy name is to be magnified, 
for to him alone all glory and honor is due, world without 
end, amen ! 

And now I feel easy to leave the metropolis, truly thankful 
to the God and Father of all our sure mercies that he has been 
pleased to regard my low estate, and to give me strength and 
courage to speak boldly in his holy name to his backslidden 
people in this great city and its neighborhood. Friends here are 
greatly reduced in numbers since my visit to them twenty- 
one years ago, and the vitality and spirit of true religion 
greatly lost and departed from since the coming in of the pres- 
ent century ; and I have a fearful apprehension that unless a 
greater concern should be awakened, to the raising up of a 
remnant of more honest and faithful standard-bearers, that 
the Lord's holy testimonies will be lost in this city, if not in 
this kingdom. 

On seventh day, the 11th, went to Birmingham, and lodged 
at William Southall's, and on the day following attended 
their fore and afternoon meetings. The promise of mouth 
and wisdom was mercifully fulfilled, and strength was given 
to preach the ancient doctrines of pure Christianity in both 
meetings, to my great relief of a burden concerning this place, 
and to much solid peace and satisfaction ; nevertheless, there 
is little hope of a succession of faithful Friends here. On sec- 
ond day, went to Bakewell, and stayed there and rested until 
the 25th of second month, when we took coach and came to 
Manchester, and on first day attended their fore and afternoon 
meetings, and I was largely opened in declaring the truths 
of the gospel of life and salvation, in both of those meet- 
ings; and the few honest-hearted, faithful believers in vital 
Christianity were refreshed and strengthened. Stopped here 
again at dear H. Harrison's. On third day, the 28th, we came 



PASSAGE HOME— RETROSPECT. 551 

to Liverpool, and took lodgings with our dear friend Elizabeth 
Waterhouse, a widow, and the daughter of my former dear 
friend George Crosfield. Sat through their painful meeting 
on fifth day, in silence, which is held by and under the control 
of those who do not believe in many of the fundamental doc- 
trines of Friends. In this large meeting, there are perhaps not 
more than three or four sound Friends, of whom Margaret 
Crosfield is the chief. 

We have agreed for a passage to America on board the 
steamship Arabia, to sail on seventh day, the 4th. On the 
morning of this day, we went to the dock, Elizabeth Water- 
house Bearing us company, and were conveyed by a tender to 
the steamer, which lay some distance off in the harbor, where 
she remained till twelve o'clock, when we parted with dear 
E. W. and two men Friends, who, with many other people, 
went on shore, and we were immediately under way, and 
soon at sea, but did not lose sight of Ireland until the next 
afternoon. 

We had a pretty rough, boisterous passage of twelve days 
and thirteen hours, experiencing one very heavy gale ; I was 
seasick most of the time. We landed in Boston on the 17th 
of 3d month, at one o'clock in the morning. Went, the same 
afternoon, by railway, to Fall River, where my children and 
friends were rejoiced to see us. Stayed here and attended their 
meetings on first day, in both which I had good open service. 
On second day, went by boat to Providence, and visited my 
children thereaway, and on third day, the 21st, came to West- 
erly, visiting my children and friends there, and next day 
reached my home at Hopkinton. 

And now, on a retrospective view of this visit and service 
in Great Britain and Ireland, it appears to have been the most 
interesting and important of any mission, service, or work 
that has ever been called for at my hands. And, through the 
obedience of faith, it has been attended to and accomplished, 
now in my advanced age, by and through the help of Him 
who thereunto called, and put forth and went before ; giving 
mouth and wisdom, agreeably to his own gracious promise, 
which mine enemies were not able to gainsay, or, in effect, to 
withstand. And this was witnessed by keeping to his injunc- 
tion, of wholly trusting in him, and not meditating beforehand 



552 JOUENAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

what I should say, when about to attend a meeting, but 
therein waiting on him for direction, whether to vocal service, 
or to keep silence ; being, as I trust, fully resigned to either, 
and waiting for an opening thereto, if indeed his will was 
that I should speak in a meeting. Hence, the will of the flesh 
being out of the question, and my trust in him alone, he has 
been pleased to work, even through a weak instrument, in 
and through his own strength, and in the demonstration of 
his own power, and under the guidance of his own spirit 
and heavenly wisdom, to the confounding of mine enemies, 
and to the strengthening and sweet refreshment of my 
friends. 

I was persuaded, before leaving my own home, that the 
greater purpose of my going to Europe at this time was the 
public promulgation of the primitive Christian doctrines, as 
seen and held, and most surely believed, by Friends, from the 
first down to our own time ; and that in the life, and power, 
and sufficiency which, I had faith to believe, the great Min- 
ister of the sanctuary would give, it was that the object of 
such a mission could be accomplished, and his honor and 
righteous testimonies sustained ; — knowing, that, after all 
the labor bestowed, it is God alone that can prosper the 
work and give the increase, keep and enable those to hold 
on their way whose minds have been quickened and re- 
newed in and through the life that is in Christ, and which 
is the light of Christ in men, and the power of the everlast- 
ing gospel. 

But whether this or that shall prosper, the Lord knoweth ; 
and although great my concern for the holding fast of the 
honest-hearted, it sufficeth me, that my divine Master hath, 
in his own gracious goodness, accepted, so far as I can see, 
the devotion and services thus rendered, as being acceptable 
to him ; in which hope my joy is full, and sweet peace my 
unmerited portion ; and the language of the Psalmist is my 
inward song, " Give thanks unto the Lord, O my soul, for 
his mercy endureth forever ! " 

[The following letter written soon after his return from this 
visit, will serve further to show the feeling of satisfaction and 
peace with which he looked on it in the retrospect.] 



LETTER TO WILLIAM HODGSON, JR. 553 



FROM J. W. TO WILLIAM HODGSON, JR. 

Hopkinton, 5th mo., 13th, 1854. 
********** 
Although, my dear friend, I do sometimes nearly come to want, and 
necessarily so, for the frequently reminding me of whence all good 
cometh, as also of my own poverty and wretchedness, without the im- 
mediate supplies from the Fountain of all good ; yet when permitted 
to look back upon my late journey, and a little to realize the marvel- 
lous and gracious preservations of infinite goodness, amid the dangers 
which awaited us, by sea and by land, and through the enmity of false 
brethren, and subtleties of an enemy's assaults upon untried ground, I 
seem to be lost in admiration of the goodness of God, extended to an 
unworthy creature, and leading to language like some on record : 
" Give thanks unto the Lord, oh ! my soul, for his mercies endure for- 
ever." A sense had often before been given me, when in the field, 
that preservation could not be witnessed without the guardian care of 
the blessed Shepherd ; and now, when greater perils were to be met 
with than I had ever before experienced I was driven, the more entirely 
and devotedly, unto the only Helper of his poor trembling messengers, 
whom he sendeth forth as lambs among wolves, (never before so fully 
realized,) to trust in him, and to depend entirely upon him for mouth, 
and wisdom, and strength. And blessed be the name of Him who 
promised those whom he sent forth, when personally with them, " And 
I will be a mouth and wisdom unto you, which your adversaries shall 
not be able to gainsay or condemn." Truly, it was only through the 
fulfilment of this gracious promise, that we were favored to obtain the 
victory in so many instances ; nor did he ever fail to help me in keep- 
ing to his commandment, not to premeditate beforehand ; and to the 
praise of his great name, I can say, that I had never before so little 
cause to regret anything that transpired, as on the late occasion, the 
consideration of which brings consolation and peace of mind. And 
although feeling very peaceful, in having, so far as I can see, done what 
was called for at my hands, the usefulness of the work, and the keep- 
ing of those minds which have been renewedly stirred up to revert to 
first principles, and the importance of cleaving to them, must be left to 
Him whose blessing only can prosper the labors of his messengers. 
********** 

Under the circumstances attending my service in those large meet- 
ings in England, that of seeking for or desiring to address them with 
enticing words, was entirely out of the question ; but that which was 
47 



554 JOUENAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

desired and asked for, was, understanding and strength ; which, through 
the Lord's mercy, were not withheld on any occasion when labor was 
required. * * * * 

In much near and affectionate love to thyself, and family, and to all 
dear inquiring friends, as if named, I conclude, and am thy friend, 

John Wilbur. 

[After the accomplishment of this last visit to Great Britain, 
calmness and peace were eminently the clothing of his spirit ; 
yet his solicitude for the preservation of Friends upon the 
ancient Foundation continued unabated — being manifested 
by visiting some and writing to others, under the constraining 
influence of the love of Christ. 

He kept no further record or journal of his life, but feeling 
that his labors and trials were nearly concluded, he calmly 
awaited the summons from works to rewards with an unfal- 
tering trust that a mansion of eternal rest was prepared for 
him. After a short illness, he died in great peace on the 1st 
of 5th month, 1856, at the house of his son-in-law, Thomas 
Foster, with whom he resided after the death of his beloved 
companion in 1852.] 

The following memorial concerning him was issued by 
South Kingston Monthly Meeting: — 

Testimony of South Kingston Monthly Meeting of Friends, 
concerning John Wilbur, late of Hopkinton, R. L, deceased. 

" The memory of the just is blessed;" and it has ever been 
the concern of those to whom the cause of Truth is dear, to 
perpetuate the remembrance, and to preserve memorials of 
the lives of such as have devoted themselves to its service j 
whose chief concern was to be found " walking in the foot- 
steps of the flock of Christ's companions," and by example, as 
well as precept, to persuade others to persevere in the path- 
way of holiness, the end of which is everlasting life. While 
acknowledging our obligation submissively to acquiesce in 
every dispensation of divine Providence, in the assurance that 
he doeth all things well, yet the removal of such dedicated 
laborers from the church militant has ever been felt as a loss 
to survivors; and more especially has this been realized at 



MEMORIAL. 555 

periods of great degeneracy, and when, because of the abound- 
ing of iniquity, the love of many has waxed cold, and the way 
of Truth is evil spoken of. 

Regarding the present as peculiarly such a time, our minds 
are deeply impressed under a sense of the loss we have sus- 
tained, in the removal from works to rewards of our late be- 
loved friend, John Wilbur ; and we believe it right for us to 
hand down to posterity our testimony to the excellency of his 
character, and to his eminent services in the cause of Truth 
and righteousness in the earth. 

He was born at Hopkinton, R. L, 17th of seventh month, 
1774. He was the son of Thomas and Mary "Wilbur ; who 
were exemplary members and elders of our religious Society, 
and were concerned to bring up their children conformably to 
its principles and discipline. Few particulars of his childhood 
having been preserved, we pass over this season with a few 
remarks thereon, written by himself at a later period. " Re- 
garding what is past, I may say, that the guarded care of my 
parents — a constant attendance of religious meetings, and an 
attention to the reading of the Scriptures were a great help 
to my mind in preparing the way for, and directing my atten- 
tion to the saving principle of divine grace within; the re- 
straining power of which, I became acquainted with in very 
early life. And I feel constrained to bear testimony to its 
efficacy and sufficiency in effecting the work of the regenera- 
tion and salvation of all who yield to its reforming power." 
From this, as well as from the corroborating statements of 
others who knew him at this period, we learn that he was a 
youth of exemplary deportment and religiously inclined from 
early life. When about nineteen years of age, he was united 
in marriage to Lydia, daughter of Amos and Thankful Col- 
lins, with whom he lived in great harmony and conjugal 
affection nearly sixty years, until her death, which occurred 
about three years before his own. 

He first appeared in the ministry in the thirty-sixth year of 
his age, and continuing to grow in his gift, and his offerings 
therein being satisfactory to his friends, he was acknowledged 
a minister not long after ; and being careful to attend to the 
monitions of the heavenly Teacher, he became an eminent 
instrument in the Divine hand for promulgating the glorious 



556 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

truths of the gospel of life and salvation to his fellow men. 
He was ardently attached to the principles of the religious 
Society of which he was a member, not only on account of 
their accordancy with the Holy Scriptures, and with the pre- 
cepts and example of his parents, for both which he had great 
veneration ; but from a living experimental knowledge of 
their truth and efficacy in preserving those who embrace and 
live up to them from the snares of the enemy and the con- 
tamination of the world ; enabling them to meet with calm- 
ness and resignation all the vicissitudes and exigencies of life, 
and leading in the end to the haven of everlasting rest and 
peace. He believed that they embrace the whole great and 
glorious plan of redemption, as unfolded in the New Testa- 
ment. Hence, he was a firm believer, not only in the divinity 
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and in all that he did 
for us without us, in that prepared body in which he came to 
do his Father's will, wherein he tasted death for every man, 
and suffered the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to 
God, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances which were 
against us, and becoming a propitiation for sins that are past, 
repented of, and forsaken ; but also in his inward and spiritual 
appearance in the heart, wherein is experienced by those who 
truly look for him, his second coming without sin unto salva- 
tion ; and his interposition as a sure helper and deliverer in 
preserving us from falling into the like thraldom again. This, 
wdth our worthy forefathers, he regarded as the Christian 
covenant, consisting of two parts ; both alike essential, and 
neither availing without the other ; but both together consti- 
tuting the whole great plan of Christian redemption. 

But while he was sound in the Scripture doctrines always 
held by true Friends from the beginning, and was one of 
whom it might truly be said, " he kept the faith" yet he failed 
not to enforce the necessity of good works, which he regarded 
as the genuine fruits of a living faith; and he was deeply 
concerned to be found living up to his profession, maintain- 
ing both by precept and example the importance of holiness 
of life, and that a mere profession, however good, will avail 
nothing. He was eminently gifted and qualified for useful- 
ness in the administration of the discipline, and management 
of the affairs of the Society ; his views being clear, and his 



MEMORIAL. 557 

expression of them generally pertinent and to the point. And 
while he was careful that offenders be dealt with in tender- 
ness and meekness, yet, when such labors of love failed, he 
was firm and decided in placing the judgment of Truth over 
such, and often expressed a concern, lest, through weakness 
or the fear of man, this important part should be neglected. 
He was an example of humility, plainness, and consistency 
in his daily walk, and concerned to bring up his children 
therein — combining, with gentleness and meekness, firmness 
and decision ; bringing in wholesome restraint to the aid of 
persuasion and exhortation, by which, through divine help, he 
was remarkably successful in bringing up a large family of 
children in plainness and sobriety, and at the same time se- 
curing their filial love and tender regard. 

He was a diligent attender of meetings both for worship 
and discipline, seldom failing to attend them in due course, 
unless prevented by severe illness of himself or some other of 
his family ; and it was his uniform practice on such occasions 
to take his family with him, or as many of them as he could 
with convenience, and when met with his friends for the sol- 
emn purpose of divine worship, the weightiness of his spirit 
while reverently waiting on the Lord, was often felt, by those 
who were present, to have a solemnizing effect on the meet- 
ing. When he arose to speak, it was with the arising of 
Divine power ; and he was careful not to run before his guide, 
often proceeding slowly and with great deliberation, minding 
the stepping-stones as he proceeded ; but when it pleased his 
divine Master, as was often the case, to vouchsafe an open 
door of utterance, he appeared as an eminent and powerful 
minister of Christ ; and it might be truly said of him, that his 
speech and his preaching were not with enticing words of 
man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of 
power ; often falling upon the tried and penitent soul as the 
gentle rain, or distilling as the silent dew ; while, to the rebel- 
lious and disobedient, it was as the fire and the hammer, 
causing them to tremble under a sense of their undone con- 
dition, as opened to their view, and raising the query, " What 
shall we do to be saved ? " 

He travelled extensively as a minister, both in this country 
and in Great Britain and Ireland, which he visited twice, 

47* 



558 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

only surviving his return from the last visit about two 
years. 

In addition to his usual occupation, (the cultivation of a 
small farm,) he was much employed by the community as a 
surveyor of land ; and being considered very capable and ac- 
curate in this vocation, he was often sought after, as well on 
this account as for his uprightness in dealing, intelligence, 
and kindly bearing tow r ards all with whom he had intercourse. 
To these characteristics, may be added a cheerful and social 
disposition, which rendered him an interesting companion ; 
and he was, so far as is known, without exception, beloved 
and respected by all with whom he thus became associated. 
In all his intercourse with his fellow-men, he was truly a 
peacemaker ; being often resorted to as a counsellor in cases 
of difficulty, and as an arbitrator in settling disputes among 
his neighbors. He was enabled, by the soundness of his judg- 
ment and discrimination, through divine assistance, to be emi- 
nently serviceable in such cases ; and the confidence of his 
employers in his integrity and impartiality was such, that he 
was enabled, almost without exception, not only to escape 
the censure of those to whom he decided adversely, but to 
retain their friendship and respect. 

Often, with the approbation of his friends, he appointed 
meetings and attended funerals among those of other denomi- 
nations within his own county, to their comfort and satisfac- 
tion ; which was frequently acknowledged on their behalf ; 
and tended not a little to strengthen their love and regard for 
him. But he was far from being of the number of those who 
court popular favor and applause, who baulk the testimonies 
of Truth, or warp them to suit the public taste. He evinced 
the same unbending adherence to principle in all companies 
and under all circumstances. His faithfulness in this respect, 
as with many others in different ages who had gone before, 
brought him into many conflicts, which, however severe, he 
endured with unwavering firmness and fidelity. Of these, by 
far the most trying and enduring were those which arose from 
a radical departure from the doctrines and testimonies of 
Friends, on the part of large and sweeping numbers in the 
Society, at two different periods during his life. 

The promulgation of unsound and antichristian doctrines 



MEMORIAL. 559 

by Elias Hicks and his adherents was the occasion of much 
sore trial to him, long before the open rupture in the Society 
occasioned thereby ; and he was constrained faithfully to bear 
his testimony against this spirit of unbelief, in all its delusive 
appearances; firmly adhering to the ancient testimonies of 
the Society in regard to the divinity and offices of our blessed 
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and laboring in the ability 
afforded him to counteract the desolating effect of views so 
derogatory to his divine character and atoning sacrifice for 
the redemption of fallen man. But in maintaining this con- 
troversy, he was mercifully preserved, as we may well believe, 
through continued reliance upon Him on whom help is laid, 
from running into error on the other hand, of which there is 
ever great danger with those who suffer their natural feelings 
to predominate, and are remiss in keeping up the watch, as 
we have had lamentable evidence in the falling away of many 
in this way, who escaped the wreck of the first storm. 

In the years 1831-2, he made his first visit to Great Britain 
and Ireland ; where he soon saw the working of a spirit, the 
tendency of which appeared to him to be, to carry the Society 
back towards the outward and literal views of the formal pro- 
fessors of the day, and, if unchecked, to land its members on 
the same ground from which our faithful predecessors had 
first taken their departure. In his own language, he " saw, or 
thought he saw, the great subtlety of the enemy, in taking 
advantage of the Hicksite heresy, which led off on the one 
side from the true doctrine, working on the minds of those 
who were the most prepared to forsake the original ground of 
vitality; so that whilst they were guarding against a fatal 
lapse on the one hand, he might the more easily plunge them 
into another as destructive on the other, — both insidious and 
defective in relation to the true faith in the offices and attri- 
butes of the Saviour of men." As, against the errors of Elias 
Hicks and his followers, so against these unsound views, he 
felt called upon, both then and after his return to his native 
land, to bear his testimony. And when, a few years after, 
Joseph John Gurney, who was strongly identified with these 
new views, (having introduced and advocated them more or 
less openly in most of his voluminous writings, and thus more 
than any one else being publicly responsible for them,) came 



560 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

to this country on a religious visit, our beloved friend took an 
early opportunity, on his arrival in New England, to express 
to him the uneasiness which he had long felt with many of 
the views thus promulgated in his printed works, now spread 
abroad, not only in England but widely in this country also. 
He entreated him to disavow such portions of them as were 
not in accordance with the ancient and well-known principles 
of the Society, as the first step towards opening his way for 
service amongst us. But instead of complying with this re- 
quest, or in any way making satisfaction, he entered into a 
defence of all his writings, claiming that there was nothing 
unsound in them ; and attempted to shield himself behind the 
certificate which he brought with him. This being the case, 
and failing to prevail on the Meeting for Sufferings here, to 
investigate those writings and decide on their soundness, he 
felt constrained, as an individual, from a sense of religious 
duty, and in accordance with the requirement of our disci- 
pline, to warn his fellow-members against imbibing, or giving 
countenance to these unsound sentiments. We do not regard 
this as the proper place to detail the consequences of the 
faithfulness of our dear departed friend herein, nor is it neces- 
sary, as a correct account thereof has already been published 
and extensively circulated. Suffice it to say, that amid the 
sufferings and conflicts consequent thereon, he never faltered 
in his adherence to the original principles and testimonies of 
the Society of Friends, as held and maintained by George 
Fox, Robert Barclay, and their co-laborers in the beginning, 
and died, as he had lived, in the firm belief that, in adhering 
to them through evil report and good report, he had not fol- 
lowed cunningly devised fables, but pure, living, and eternal 
Truth. And it may truly be said of him as of Joseph, an- 
ciently^ " The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at 
him, and hated him ; but his bow abode in strength, and the 
arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the 
mighty God of Jacob." 

He was much and justly valued as a correspondent, and 
his labors in this line were extensive during the greater part 
of his life. His letters, whether descriptive, didactic, or relig- 
ious, were always interesting; but the latter class were by 
far the most numerous ; and it was eminently as a religious 



MEMORIAL. 561 

writer that he excelled. In penning his views on subjects 
of this important nature, he avoided speculation, and went 
directly to the point of vital Christianity. The continued sup- 
port and perpetuation of the principles and testimonies of 
Truth, in their original purity, as always maintained by faith- 
ful Friends, was to him a subject of paramount importance ; 
and for this he labored abundantly, both orally and in writ- 
ing ; being often, during the latter part of his life, bowed 
down under deep concern, lest they should, through the love 
of ease, lukewarmness, and the speculative propensities of 
this degenerate age, be cast aside and lost to the world ; than 
which he believed a greater loss could scarcely befall the fam- 
ily of man. 

Owing to the introduction of the unsound views into the 
Society already noticed, much that he wrote during the latter 
part of his life was of a controversial nature ; yet few men 
were more averse to controversy for its own sake, or more in- 
clined to avoid it in common conversation, unless principle 
was involved, than he ; but when this was so, whether in pub- 
lic or in private, he failed not to defend the Truth and the 
right; often saying, that if the pure and unchangeable prin- 
ciples of Truth cannot be maintained without controversy, 
then now, as at the first, they must be maintained by contro- 
versy ; that faithful and upright men have in all ages kept up 
a controversy against error and corruption, and that while a 
succession of such continues to be raised up, and error and 
wrong continue in the earth, so long this controversy must 
and will be maintained. 

After the separation in New England Yearly Meeting was 
effected, through the efforts of those who gave their support 
to the unsound sentiments, which unhappily included many 
of the influential characters therein, thus causing the devasta- 
tion to be more widely spread ; he labored assiduously for the 
preservation of the small body which continued to adhere to 
the ancient doctrines of the Society, and for that of the hon- 
est-hearted in other parts of the heritage, under a concern for 
whom, he visited with certificate, many of the meetings within 
the limits of New York Yearly Meeting. He also attended 
the Yearly Meeting of Philadelphia, and many of the subor- 
dinate meetings thereto belonging, greatly to the comfort of 



562 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

the sincere-hearted, to whom the ancient testimonies of Truth 
were still dear, many of whom were under suffering for the 
cause sake, and laboring under much discouragement. 

In the spring of 1853, he laid before his Monthly Meeting 
the prospect of a second visit to Great Britain and Ireland. 
This was no small trial to him, as well as to his children and 
friends ; his advanced age making the prospect of his return 
look very doubtful. But after weightily deliberating upon it, 
and believing the opening to be in the true light, his concern 
received the approbation of the Monthly, and subsequently of 
the Quarterly and Yearly Meetings, and being furnished with 
certificates of unity and sympathy therefrom, he embarked 
from Boston on the 28th of ninth month, 1853, accompanied 
by his son Amos C. Wilbur. 

Soon after his arrival in England, he. had an interview with 
a large committee of the Meeting for Sufferings, at their re- 
quest ; before whom he spread his concern for the preserva- 
tion of the Society on its ancient ground of principle and 
discipline, and showed that this was what himself and Friends 
in New England had been standing for ; and that where the 
matter had been fully investigated, as was done by Philadel- 
phia Yearly Meeting, this was found and acknowledged to 
have been the case. Although they allowed him to relieve 
his mind, and were unable to gainsay or resist what he said, 
yet it was painful to him to find them fully committed to the 
views of J. J. Gurney, and unwilling to acknowledge that any 
portion of them were unsound. Besides this, he had inter- 
views with many others of the leading characters in different 
places, who generally acknowledged unity with the same sen- 
timents. Thus he found his previous apprehensions in regard 
to this class confirmed; but in the course of this visit, he 
found a considerable number of true mourners on account of 
the desolations of Zion, whose eyes had been anointed to see 
things in their true light. These were sitting in solitary 
places, and their secret cry was, " Spare thy people, O Lord, 
and give not thine heritage to reproach." To these, he was 
in a peculiar manner drawn, and was with them, greatly to 
their comfort and satisfaction, as was afterwards evinced by 
written testimonials from some. He was permitted to return 
to his home in safety, after an absence of about six months. 



MEMORIAL. 563 

After his return, he seemed to regard his labors as nearly 
finished ; often speaking of this visit as an evening sacrifice, 
in the offering of which he felt great peace. It proved to be 
the last journey of a religious nature, which he made beyond 
the limits of his own Yearly Meeting; within which, how- 
ever, he continued to labor to the comfort and edification of 
his friends. 

Though firm and uncompromising, he was mild and for- 
bearing, and remarkably unassuming, evincing no ill-will 
towards those who differed from and were disposed to resort 
to extreme measures against him. He often spoke of having 
endeavored to weigh his motives, and his acts in this matter, 
with those whom he once regarded as his friends, in the bal- 
ance of the sanctuary, with a desire to be rightly directed in 
all his movements ; saying that whenever he had looked 
towards concession and compromise, the way had seemed 
covered with darkness, and he had clearly seen that those 
precious testimonies of Truth for which our worthy predeces- 
sors suffered and laid down their lives, cannot, without incur- 
ring a fearful responsibility, be compromised. Having faithfully 
served his Lord and Master in his day and generation, the even- 
ing of his life was eminently serene and tranquil ; evincing a 
state of quiet waiting for the final change, which he looked 
upon as near ; often remarking, both in public and in private, 
that he believed his day's work was nearly done. Especially 
was this the case during the last year of his life. Being much 
indisposed, while on a visit to one of his daughters, he said he 
often thought of the probability of his being suddenly re- 
moved, and remarked that there was no terror to him in the 
prospect, but that it looked pleasant to him. And in a public 
testimony in his own Monthly Meeting, after expressing his 
continued impression that he was near the termination of his 
earthly labors, he said that in looking towards a separation 
from the world and the things of it, he felt that there were no 
strong ties to be broken ; that the world had lost its charms 
for him, that there was nothing pertaining to it which it was 
hard for him to leave, save his beloved friends, and he trusted 
that even the separation from them would be made easy ; that 
the change to him seemed desirable, not only on account of a 
release from labor and exercise, but of a reunion with loved 



564 JOURNAL OF JOHN WILBUR. 

ones who had gone before. On taking leave of a friend's 
family, after attending the last Monthly Meeting before his 
decease, though then in usual health, he remarked that he 
believed he was there for the last time. Thus forewarned and 
prepared, with his lamp trimmed and his light burning, he 
awaited the last remaining conflict, which, in Divine mercy 
and condescension, was made short. 

On the morning of the 28th of fourth month, 1856, he was 
seized with severe pain, which threatened immediate dissolu- 
tion. Being aware of this, he said to his daughter, " If I go 
now, all will be well." She soon after reminded him, that he 
was taken ill much as his mother had been, who survived but 
about half an hour, but added, " I do not wish to alarm thee." 
He replied, " Thou cannot alarm me." On the day following, 
finding that he continued to fail, she said to him, " Father, 
thou art very feeble, dost thou expect to recover ? " He re- 
plied, " No, I know I shall not, and I do not desire it ; I am 
ready to go." She said, " Then thou hast seen enough of this 
world ? " He replied, " Yes, plenty, plenty." She told him 
she had been looking towards him for company, when her 
dear husband (then low with consumption) should be gone. 
He replied, " Thou must not." During the severe paroxysm 
of bodily distress, which lasted for several hours, not a mur- 
mur escaped him, nor any token of impatience. Although 
active remedies succeeded in relieving his pain, yet his consti- 
tution had so far given way, that he continued to sink, and 
subsequently, from weakness and what appeared like partial 
paralysis of the organs of speech, articulation became difficult, 
so that he said comparatively little that could be understood ; 
but what could be understood was indicative of peacefulness 
and resignation. In reply to the question whether he felt 
peaceful, he replied " very." His interest in the welfare of the 
Society continued unabated to the last, as was evinced, on 
the evening before his decease, by his desiring to hear read a 
letter received, giving some account of Philadelphia Yearly 
Meeting ; and, during its reading, he turned his face to the 
reader and listened attentively. On being inquired of, if he 
understood it, he replied that he did. Late in the evening, his 
eldest son, who lived at a distance, and whom he had been 
expecting, arrived, and, on approaching him, asked him if he 



MEMORIAL. 565 

knew him ; he called him by name, and smiled very pleas- 
antly. His son inquired of him in regard to the state of his 
mind ; he answered, that " his way was clear before him ; " — 
to another, he said he was " very happy," which was nearly 
his last expression. In the latter part of the night, he fell into 
a quiet slumber, in which he continued until about eight 
o'clock on fifth day morning, the 1st of fifth month, when he 
departed hence, aged nearly eighty-two years, and was in- 
terred in Friends' burying-ground, in Hopkinton, on the 4th 
of the same, after a solemn meeting on the occasion, wherein 
a true and living testimony was borne to the uprightness of 
his character, and the faithful dedication of his life to the 
blessed cause of Truth and righteousness. 

In thus reviewing the life and gospel labors of this our de- 
parted friend, we are led to adopt, as peculiarly applicable to 
him, the language of the beloved and faithful disciple, con- 
veyed to him in the visions of light : " And I heard a voice 
from heaven, saying unto me, write, blessed are the dead 
which die in the Lord from henceforth ; yea, saith the Spirit, 
that they may rest from their labors, and their works do follow 
them." And so we have been brought renewedly to believe, 
that the results of the faithful labors of this dedicated servant 
of the Lord have not terminated with his valuable and event- 
ful life ; but that they will continue to be felt, to the strength- 
ening and animating of survivors and those that follow after, 
even in ages and generations yet to come. 

Signed by direction and on behalf of South Kingston 
Monthly Meeting of Friends, held at Hopkinton, 23d of 3d 
month, 1857. 

Ethan Foster, Clerk. 
Ann Perry, Clerk. 



48 



APPENDIX 



CONTAINING THE LETTEKS OF JOHN WILBUR ADDRESSED TO GEORGE 
CROSFIELD, WHILST IN ENGLAND, IN 1832, TO WHICH ALLUSION- 
HAS BEEN FREQUENTLY MADE IN THE FOREGOING JOURNAL. 



[The following Letters, written by John Wilbur to his friend George 
Crosfield of Liverpool, during his first visit to Great Britain, bear 
evidence to the clearness of his vision in perceiving thus early, the 
encroachments of an innovating and modifying spirit in the Society, as 
well as his faithfulness in raising a warning voice against its delusive 
and pernicious effects. These letters were published by the Friend to 
whom they were addressed, and brought down upon their author the 
severe condemnation of those who were insidiously at work to undermine 
the true principles of Friends, both in England and America. On re- 
turning to his own country, he was soon called to account by some of 
the leading characters in New England Yearly Meeting, for writing 
these letters, and for suffering them to be published without first sub- 
mitting them to the judgment of the Morning Meeting in London. In 
point of fact, he did suggest the submission of the Letters to the Morn- 
ing Meeting, and inquiry was made of the Friend having charge of the 
records of that Meeting, as to the practice in such cases ; who re- 
plied that it was not the usage in that country, to bring forward such 
pamphlets for revision. The storm of indignation, with which J. W. 
was nevertheless assailed on this occasion on the part of some, clearly 
evinced the deep and settled purpose which existed in their minds, to 
effect a change in the principles of the Society, as well as their convic- 
tion that the Letters were adapted to counteract their long-cherished 
design. These feelings of hostility to him were so far indulged, that 
attempts were made to bring him under dealing at that time, on ac- 
count of these Letters ; being charged with having turned aside from 
his proper business in writing them, raising a false alarm, and creating 
an unnecessary agitation in the Society, &c. But the publication of 
the " Beacon," and the defection in England termed the " Beaconite Sep- 



LETTERS TO A FRIEND. 567 

aration," soon after occurred ; the seceders holding to the very doctrines 
guarded against in these Letters, and thereby clearly showing the 
necessity and timely adaptation of the warning contained therein. 
" Beaconism " was an offshoot from Quakerism, in the same direction 
with the views of J. J. Grurney and his adherents ; but this develop- 
ment of them was premature, and too radical and open for any consid- 
erable number of the Society at that time publicly to adopt them. 
Some of the leaders in this schism, however, did not hesitate to 
affirm, that their views had been thus changed by the writings of J. J. 
Gurney. These writings, though in the main more insidious and plau- 
sible than the open defection of the " Beacon," no less surely led away 
from the Truth as always held by Friends ; and they have indeed pro- 
duced a far more sweeping effect, than any bold avowal of the same 
principles could have accomplished. Their legitimate results are be- 
coming more and more manifest to every intelligent observer. One 
after another of the testimonies of the Society, and the restraints of the 
Discipline, are being abandoned ; paving the way for an easy union with 
the fashionable and sin-loving world, and at the same time affording 
the clearest proop that there was ample cause for the deep concern 
and apprehension of our dear friend John Wilbur ; whose labors, to 
avert the entire overthrow of the Society, were so abundant and faith- 
ful, amid all the sore trials and sufferings which fell to his lot. We 
commend these Letters to the serious consideration of the reader.] 



LETTERS TO A FRIEND, ON SOME OF THE PRIMITIVE DOCTRINES 
OF CHRISTIANITY. BY JOHN WILBUR. 

" Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, what- 
soever things ai-e just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, what- 
soever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, 
think on these things." — Phil. iv. 8. 



PREFACE 



In publishing the following Letters, it is necessary that I should brief- 
ly state some of the reasons which have induced me thus to give a more 
extended circulation to what was originally only a private communica- 
tion of sentiment. 



568 APPENDIX. 

They contain the views of a Friend who, during his visit and gospel 
labors in this land, was often led into deep exercise and solicitude on 
subjects of great interest and importance to our religious society. The 
views which he has taken, and the sentiments he has expressed, are, in 
my judgment, well calculated to afford instruction and profit ; and to 
support the ancient doctrines and testimonies of our society ; nor can I 
doubt but they will be acceptable to, and be well received by all who 
wish these doctrines and testimonies to be maintained in their ancient 
purity. Yet to others who may be shunning the cross, and the narrow 
way, and seeking for themselves and their children more liberty ; en- 
deavoring to combine what are altogether irreconcilable, the grandeur 
and friendships of this world with the plain and simple way of truth, I 
expect some of the sentiments contained in this work, will be very un- 
palatable. 

A recurrence to our first principles is at all times profitable and ad- 
vantageous ; the present day abounds with writings, both of a religious 
nature and others, much mixed with opinions and sentiments very dif- 
ferent from those held by us as a society ; and whilst these books are 
extensively read amongst us, there is reason to fear that the perusal of 
them tends much to the exclusion of the writings of our own society ; 
that thus loss is sustained by many of our members, who are more de- 
ficient, than they ought to be, in the knowledge of our principles on 
various important points : a more extended acquaintance with these 
principles, and a more strict adherence to the testimonies of the society, 
are much to be desired, and would be of great benefit. 

The following Letters are calculated to impart such knowledge, and 
to promote such an adherence, and I publish them with the hope that 
these may be their effects — that they may be read with a desire to be 
instructed, and to profit by the sentiments they inculcate. The respon- 
sibility of giving them this publicity attaches not to the writer, but be- 
longs exclusively to me. 

GEORGE CROSFIELD. 

Liverpool, 10th Month, 1832. 



LETTER I. 

INTRODUCTORY. 
MY DEAE FRIEND, 

I have often recurred, with a degree of satisfaction to my early im- 
pressions, as well as to the instructions which were given me by my 
parents. They early made me acquainted with the doctrines of Chris- 
tianity, so far as the reading of the Scriptures of Truth would give me 



INTRODUCTORY. 569 

that knowledge, and I was carefully instructed to reverence these sacred 
writings. The precepts of the New Testament in a particular manner, 
did seem fully to correspond with those secret sensations, which I was 
early led to believe were the openings and leadings of Truth upon my 
mind : I was enabled also, without an expositor, to receive and satisfac- 
torily to understand, some of the more prominent and simple doctrines 
of the gospel, as to the character and the several offices of Jesus Christ 
the Saviour of the world. 

And now also in due time, the history of the Society of Friends was 
introduced to my reading and observation ; and my youthful mind was 
thereby strengthened and confirmed, to make a more perfect discrimi- 
nation between the works of the law and those of faith ; and to per- 
ceive what faith in God, and in the Lord Jesus Christ would do, even 
that faith which worketh by love to the purifying of the heart. I saw 
that it was sufficient ; that it enabled those sons of the morning of our 
day, notwithstanding the mighty opposition which lay in their way, 
to work the works of God ; even those spiritual works which were 
wrought in them, and by them, through the sanctifying power of the 
Holy Spirit, in the covenant of God's promise unto them ; even in like 
manner as the primitive Christians did, they joined and worked with 
the workings of grace in themselves to the glory of God and to the 
praise of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

And now I found myself to be one of this Society, not by birth and 
education only, but I embraced, and received, and fully believed in the 
doctrines of Christianity as professed by it, and I have ever since loved 
the Society and its testimonies wherever they have been planted; not 
only in my native land of America, but also in this nation, where 
this the Lord's right hand planting was, as regards our Society, first 
begun. 

Seeing now that my lot has been cast amongst my friends here, in 
the love and service of the gospel, I have verily thought that the good 
of this people has come nearer to my best desires and feelings than 
ever it did before, and that for this reason ; that this dedication has cost 
me more than any other service in which I have been engaged ; and 
many, yea very many in this land, have become as bone of my bone, 
and flesh of my flesh ; if indeed I may be allowed to use and to spirit- 
ualize the expression ; they have become as brothers and sisters in 
those tender feelings which I trust spring from the one blessed source 
of Divine love ; so that though as an alien and a stranger here, as to 
the outward, still I feel to be one of you,„and"in my measure, to joy in 
your joys and grieve in your griefs — to travail in affliction with you, 
and in desire that you may faint not : — to endeavor to strengthen the 
hands which hang down with weakness, or rather to put up a prayer 
48* 



570 APPENDIX. 

that our best Helper may lift them up, that he may confirm the feeble 
knees ; and that all who have taken upon them the profession, may be 
encouraged to stand fast in the Lord, and faithfully in the testimonies 
of our God ; so that this people, whom in his own good pleasure he 
chose to raise up and advance, distinct from all others of this day, to be 
as a beacon, a light, and a waymark outwardly in the world, may hold 
on their way, and continue faithful through his power to support and 
maintain the inestimable ground to which God did lead them, and gave 
them to stand upon ; and that they may never suffer any by-way ap- 
prehension of good to draw their attention from the one great object of 
God's peculiar design in raising them up to be a people, even to bear 
testimony to the spiritual nature and design of the gospel, as well as to 
uphold the glorious plan of redemption in all its other parts. 

In whatever degree the present condition of the Christian world may 
now be improved by what has been done through this people, yet if 
by means of their unfaithfulness, a reaction should take place and 
continue, we may fear that when this people shall again have mingled 
with those from whom they came out, and the advanced ground of 
God's providence be thus vacated, that the religious testimonies given 
them to bear, will also be lost with them. Should such an event occur, 
then indeed will it be better for mankind coming after, that this Society 
had never existed ; for the enemy of all good, will not then fail to sug- 
gest that the ground having been once taken and found to be untenable, 
it would be vain and fruitless for any to attempt the like again ; for 
we know, that the more efficient the means that may have been resorted 
to to attain an object, if those means fail, the more we despair of ever 
attaining that object. But O ! that the spirit and power of the gospel 
may never give place to profession and form, however garnished and 
glowing that form or profession may appear. 

And now my dear friend, my mind having been much exercised 
under divers weighty 'and important considerations of this nature since 
I have been in this land, I am induced to believe, it will contribute to 
my peace of mind, to open a little and spread forth before thee, a few 
remarks upon those subjects which have been more prominently and 
peculiarly exercising to my mind, during my labors amongst you ; but 
I have no hope of being able to do justice to a review of so important 
a nature as may seem to be premised, but only in such a way as I can 
endeavor to discharge what I apprehend to be my duty ; I propose, 
therefore, in my succeeding letters, to treat upon some points arising 
out of the foregoing considerations. 



FALL OF MAN, AND CHRISTIAN REDEMPTION. 571 

LETTER II. 

ON THE FALL OF MAN, AND ON CHRISTIAN REDEMPTION. 
MY DEAR FRIEND, 

If it be, as has been affirmed, that enmity took root in some of the 
heavenly company, and that they through pride were led into rebellion, 
and an attempt to set up and establish a kingdom for themselves in 
opposition to, and above the throne and kingdom of God ; still we have 
no reason to believe that the needful and mighty act of God in expel- 
ling from the regions of light their arch leader with all his band, had, 
or could have, any effect as a reconciliation, or any tendency to remove 
the enmity, however humbling their defeat and condition. No, nor 
that it were possible for those who had been created free partakers 
with their blessed and eternal King in the riches of his glory, after 
such daring rebellion and attempted usurpation, could ever be restored 
to that glorious state which they had lost by their fall;* for, as we may 
well believe, no mediation could be found between these rebels and 
Him whom they had attempted to dethrone ; they had sinned wilfully 
and without temptation, and there remained therefore to them no more 
sacrifice for sins, but they were consigned to the blackness of darkness 
forever.f 

Hence, this arch-pretender, finding himself forever defeated by the 
power and interminable decree of God, was excited to the highest pitch 
of hatred and malice, and seeing he was now forever expelled from the 
glories above, would seek to obtain for himself some other place and 
kingdom where to rule. He therefore, as it would appear, then sought 
out, and by his subtle temptation, assailed the lower creation of God, 
that he might hereby establish his dominion over a noble race which 
God had here placed, newly-created by his diyine hand, in his own 

* " For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the 
heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good 
word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew 
them again unto repentance." Heb. vi. 4, 5 and 6 — also Heb. x. 26. 

f " Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his 
angels." Matt. xxv. 41. 

" For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and deliv- 
ered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment." 2 Peter ii. 4. 

" And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he 
hath reserved in everlasting chains, under darkness." Jude 6. 

" And there was war in heaven : Michael and his angels fought against the dragon ; 
and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found 
any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the 
devil, and satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and 
his angels were cast out with him." Revelation xii. 7, 8, and 9. 



572 APPENDIX. 

image, " a little lower than the angels," and furnished too with power 
from his almighty Creator, if he had been obedient, to resist and over- 
come this proud usurper of the prerogative of heaven ; but he, the 
Avicked one (for such he had now become) by deceit and lies, and by a 
proud contradiction of the law and commandments of God, attempted to 
turn away man from his allegiance to his beneficent Maker and Father, 
and to corrupt and obliterate the character and image of upright- 
ness and holiness which God had impressed upon him ; and instead 
thereof to stamp him with the mark and inscription of the beast, which 
is sin, and serves to show to whose kingdom he belongs. 

In this the serpent succeeded but too well ; and man, through pride, 
and listening to the tempter, and seeking to obtain knowledge beyond 
what his Creator had assigned to him, fell into a mighty lapse of trans- 
gression, and was estranged from his Maker ; the threatened penalty of 
his disobedience was inflicted upon him, and his condition was properly 
denominated death, than which, if it remain, there can be no greater 
punishment ; and this death was truly realized, inasmuch as he died 
spiritually by losing the divine life through his transgression. He was 
dead also as it regards a sense of goodness ; for his feelings were now 
so perverted, that they led him to consider God, who was truly his all 
beneficent Father, to be his enemy ; he himself having now become the 
subject of another kingdom. 

As things now were, it remained entirely with God, whether he 
would provide a way for man to return again to his rightful allegiance, 
so that the first purpose of his own benevolence and glory might still 
be realized ; or whether he would abandon this ruined work altogether. 
But rejoice, O heavens ! and sing, O earth ! and break forth into sing- 
ing, ye mountains of the forest ! love, boundless love, and mercy led 
the way, and if a plan could be found compatible with both the blessed 
attributes of justice and mercy, so that his statutes should not be 
rescinded nor dishonored, then God would open a way for them to 
return to himself again. And joyful to think and to know, in the rich- 
ness of his grace a way was found, and a Mediator was also found and 
ordained who would for this, even for this fallen creature, give life for 
life. For however man had conceived pride, through the instilling of 
the author of it, and had a desire to be wise in himself, and to be as 
God, yet he had not rebelled as the fallen angels had done ; hence a 
provision could be made and adapted to remove out of the way that 
which had befallen him ; and this provision should apply to him, on 
condition that he would then by obedience reverse his disobedience, for 
when the sacrifice for sin repented of, was in that day ordained, the 
Lord said then unto man, " If thou doest well, shalt thou not be ac- 
cepted?" 



FALL OF MAN, AND CHRISTIAN REDEMPTION. 573 

But as it regarded the character and office of the Mediator, it was 
seen that he must also be a man : as it was man that sinned, so like 
must be given for like, and life for life, yea and death for death. 
That is, the death of a man temporally, (God's leniency being such,) 
should be accepted as an equivalent pledge for the death of a man 
spiritually, he being yet within the reach of such a pledge, not having 
sinned as those had sinned, who had fallen before him ; and so, by a 
pledge, should man be redeemed from the judgment of death that rested 
upon him. 

But as sin could not be atoned by sin, any more than disobedience 
could be atoned by disobedience, or by an impure offering ; and as the 
subsequent race of man, if a race should be suffered, must descend 
through these sin-stained progenitors ; therefore the offering of a mere 
man yet unredeemed, could not be equivalent to the effecting of redemp- 
tion ; and as no mere man, therefore, could be an equivalent pledge 
without first having a pledge ; nor even then, so long as the nature and 
propensity to sin remained in him ; so, therefore, no one could be found 
among men merely as such, that could possibly redeem his brother, or 
give to God a ransom for him. 

There were also other, and still higher and greater reasons, why a 
mere man could not be a sufficient mediator, because in the covenant 
of such a redemption as this must be to succeed to salvation, there 
must be a bringing to repentance, before the sins which had been com- 
mitted could be forgiven or atoned for. And then again, and which 
is indispensable and cannot be commuted, man's heart must be enlight- 
ened, drawn and guided to the truth and to righteousness ; for although 
he repent and his sins be remitted for once, yet without something to 
keep him from a recurrence to them, he will still sin, and never forsake 
the commission of it. For however he may know his former sins ex- 
piated by the atonement, still, if he witness not the interposition of a 
power to preserve him in future from sin, he will go on again, adding 
sin to sin, until the accumulation become such, and the duration of his 
transgressions so outlive the day of God's grace, that the application of 
the mediation, whether without or within, will be rendered entirely un- 
availing. And here we see the supreme excellency of the light and 
grace of this provision ; that if observed, is able to keep us from a 
state, out of which the atonement itself is not designed to redeem us 
— even that of sinning against the Holy Ghost. (See Heb. vi. 4, 5, 6, 
and chap. x. 26.) 

If the offering of a mere man could have been given and accepted 
for sins already passed, still this could have no effect in keeping man 
from sinning in future. But still the interposition and mediation must 
be effected, as wisdom teacheth us to believe, by the seed of the woman, 



574 APPENDIX. 

even by the man Christ Jesus, who should know no sin, and in whom 
the fulness of God should dwell bodily, and this body and life of man 
in which he designed himself to dwell, should be a pure offering and 
sacrifice of the first fruits, even of the first and only man who never 
sinned. This was therefore a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour unto 
God, in which, and by which, he would blot out from his presence the 
transgression of every penitent sinner, and obtain a place and ground 
for him, whereon he would deign to meet him ; and such too as would 
enable him to receive the divine grace, and prepare him for the guid- 
ance of the divine Spirit : for without this, man could not so much as be 
brought to repentance, and much less, to that which is the hardest of 
all attainments ; the forsaking and ceasing from sin ; for the mediation 
as well as the mediator was to be the Immanuel, God with us ; not 
only God in Christ Jesus, reconciling the world unto himself, but also 
God in them through a measure of his spirit, as was declared, " thou in 
me and I in them ! " 

And we have not only abundant Scripture testimony, to show the 
fitness and necessity of a mediator, to act in us, and with us, as well as 
without us, and for us : but our own inability alone to do anything that 
is good, clearly teacheth us the high order and urgent necessity of a 
spiritual and continual mediation to guide and preserve us. Herein is 
much of the excellency of the mediation seen, that after the expiation 
of repented sins, He the Mediator of the whole glorious covenant of 
life and salvation, is to us a mediator still, keeping with us, and con- 
stantly teaching us the denying of all ungodliness : for such is our 
weakness, even after remission, that but for his help continually, we 
should soon fall into our old sins again, and our last state would be 
worse than the first. So that in the end Christ may have died for us a 
thousand times, (if by his judgments we should be so many times 
brought to repentance,) and still we be continually growing worse and 
worse ; yea, and though we might all the time be acknowledging the 
atonement, and having the most implicit confidence in it, still if we do 
not believe in him, and receive him, the promise of the Father, the 
Immanuel to be with us, to keep us, all will be in vain. Yea, and if 
we do not by the power of the agency which God giveth us, work with 
him, and endeavor to keep his commandments, then the covenant to us 
is broken ; yea, and by us is also broken ; and moreover, if this indispen- 
sable part of the covenant so clearly identified and enforced by the un- 
deniable authority of the Scriptures, is disregarded or rejected, how- 
ever clear and full our faith may be in another indispensable part, still 
we are covenant breakers, and but partial believers in the gospel of our 
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And again, on the other side : if any 
man with the Bible in his hand, shall deny the divinity of Christ, and 



FALL OF MAN, AND CHRISTIAN REDEMPTION. 575 

the efficacy and necessity of his outward sacrifice, then all his profes- 
sions of light or grace, or spirit, (if indeed he have the presumption to 
make such a profession,) will be but a mere ignis fatuus, or a counter- 
feit of the right thing, and will only contribute to his condemnation. 

Now if by the suggestion of an evil spirit the fall of man was ef- 
fected through disobedience, then are we not to conclude, that through 
the interposition of a good spirit, the restoration is to be effected in the 
reverse of that by which man fell ; even in obedience ? And obedi- 
ence is not a whit less necessary on account of what has gone before it 
in order to make way for it ; for what Christ has done for us without 
us, has not rescinded a single obligation for us, — has not in the least 
exonerated us from obedience, or from fulfilling as much of the condi- 
tions as devolves upon us. In every covenant there is either a promise, 
an obligation, or a condition, between two at least ; thus in that be- 
tween God and us, after the first step which he himself has taken, to 
make way for all his promises, as well as even the application of 
the atonement, it is upon the condition of our obedience, and the fulfil- 
ment of our part of that covenant, which ensures to us an eternal 
inheritance. 

Christianity having been ordained as the blessed means of restoring 
man from his fallen condition and from sin, to a state of holiness and 
acceptance with God, is of all things the most hateful to the devil ; 
yea, he hateth the faith and the power as well as the author of it. He 
strove mightily to destroy the child Jesus, through the instrumentality 
of Herod, so that if possible he might frustrate and prevent his glori- 
ous mission amongst men ; so likewise it is to be presumed that he un- 
wittingly strove, through the chief priests and elders, to apprehend and 
bring him before Pilate and Herod that they might destroy him, not 
knowing at the time, that therein he was fighting against his own king- 
dom ; for however cunning, yet he is not infinite in understanding, nor 
can he know beforehand the divine purposes. For although the com- 
ing of Christ, and his character as the Messiah, were so clearly spoken 
of, that doubtless, he as well as the children of men, were in expecta- 
tion of it ; yet the benefit of his death and sufferings, were described 
in so mysterious and hidden a manner, that even the most enlightened 
of men could not comprehend it until after his resurrection, when he 
himself clearly explained it to two of his disciples as they walked from 
Jerusalem to Emmaus, as well as at other times. Thus the enmity and 
malice of the devil led him ignorantly on to instigate the Jews to 
destroy the man Jesus, not knowing, as we may well believe, the satis- 
factory and saving purpose of the death of Christ. 

The plan of our salvation and redemption then, on the part of Divine 
Providence, consists of three things :— 1st. Repentance, or rather his 



576 APPENDIX. 

power that leads to it. 2d. The atoning blood of Christ : and 3d, 
his Holy Spirit which sanctifies ; and this agrees with the apostle John's 
testimony that there are three that bear witness in the earth, viz : " the 
Spirit, the water and the blood, and these three agree in one." For 
we are instructed that the water of Jordan, administered upon the 
body of Jesus, and upon the bodies of men, represented repentance, 
and showed, and was thus acknowledged by Jesus himself, that judgment 
which brings to repentance cometh first ; after this the blood of Christ 
shed at Calvary as an atonement and reconciliation for us, cometh in 
the second place ; and the gift of the Holy Spirit for our guidance and 
sanctification comes in the third place ; and this order of time, and their 
succession to each other, was arranged by Wisdom itself; for as the 
baptism of John, signifying repentance, took place first; so the offering 
of Christ, for the expiation of sins thus repented of, came next in suc- 
cession ; and lastly, the more full diffusion of the Holy Spirit followed 
for the accomplishment and completion of the work of sanctification ; 
and as to the two former, their order is sufficiently proved by the times 
of those events ; and as to the latter, its place is clearly demonstrated 
by the direction of truth and the nature of things ; — see John vii. 39, 
" For the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not 
yet glorified." But after his death and resurrection, " he breathed on 
them, and bade them receive the Holy Ghost, which is the eternal 
spirit that sanctifies men's hearts." John xx. 22, 23. 

There are divers operations and effects of the Spirit distinctly spo- 
ken of in the Scriptures of Truth, as being effectual to salvation, and 
they are severally alluded to by Christ and his apostles, as well as by 
the holy men of old, in such manner as if each was saving of itself; 
and for the reason, as I apprehend, that not one of these requisites, 
all of which are indispensable to our future well-being, should be over- 
looked or excluded from the summary of our faith in the covenant of 
life and peace. And these provisions and conditions may be thus enu- 
merated : — 

1st. That men are to be saved by the outward coming, sufferings, 
and death of Jesus Christ, through whom their souls are reconciled 
unto God. 

2d. That men are to be saved by faith in God, and in his Son Je- 
sus Christ. 

3d. That men are to be saved by regeneration and baptism of the 
Spirit. 

4th. That men are to be saved by Divine Grace. 

5th. That men are to be saved by the Spirit of Christ or of God. 

6th. That men are to be saved by the knowledge of God. 



FALL OF MAN, AND CHRISTIAN REDEMPTION. 577 

7th. That men are to be saved by obeying and keeping the com- 
mandments of God, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

To exemplify and demonstrate the foregoing positions, I would refer 
to the subjoined passages of Scripture, as being distinctly applicable to 
them, and which, collectively, would seem to constitute and include the 
whole covenant of life and salvation.* And I would desire to ask 
every one who is looking for the blessed hope of this high calling, even 
the glory of salvation, whether he can venture, even secretly in his 
own soul to disregard, or openly to disavow any one of the above con- 
ditions of his eternal salvation ? And whether on serious reflection, he 
would not be fearful of doing so at the great risk of his soul's happi- 
ness? Then how needful it is to have a full belief in the doctrines of 
Scripture, and in every part of them, not merely assenting to some and 
passing slightly over others, for fear that a practical and living belief 
in them should lead us to much pain and conflict of spirit, and to the 
mortifying of the will of the flesh. — Then let every one come down 
and prove himself, and examine, by the light of Christ, all the hidden 
and dark avenues of his heart, remembering that every secret thing 
must be opened and brought to judgment in the day of Jesus Christ. 
And oh, how desirable, that when that day shall come upon every one 

* " Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, &c. John iii. 14. — We have redemp- 
tion through his blood. Eph. i. 7. — Who gave himself for us, &c. Titus ii. 14. — And 
washed us from our sins in his own blood. Rev. i. 5. 

" And whosoever liveth and believeth in me, &c. John xi. 26. — For ye are all the 
children of God, by faith in Christ Jesus. Gal. iii. 26. 

" He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, &c. Matt. iii. 11, 12. — Except a man be 
born again, &c. John iii. 3. — Baptism doth also now save us, &c. 1 Pet. iii. 21. 

" But by the grace of God, I am what I am, &c. 1 Cor. xv. 10. — My grace is suffi- 
cient for thee, &c. 2 Cor. xii. 9.— For by grace are ye saved through faith. Eph. ii. 
8. — For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. Tit. ii. 11. 

" And his Spirit, it hath gathered them. Isa. xxxiv. 16. — It is the Spirit that quick- 
eneth, &c. John vii. 63. — For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, &c. Rom. 
viii. 2. — But he that soweth to the Spirit, &c. Gal. vi. 8. 

" And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, &c. John xvii. 3. 

"If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted. Gen. iv. 7. 

" Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in 
all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. Jerem. vii. 23. 

"And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them 
that obey him. Heb. v. 9. 

" Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. 
John viii. 51. 

" Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 2 Cor. x. 5. 

" Fear God, and keep his commandments, &c. Eccles. xii. 13. — And whatsoever we 
ask, we receive of him because we keep his commandments, &c. 1 John iii. 22. — He 
that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is 
not in him. 1 John ii. 4. — He that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and 
he in him. 1 John iii. 24. — And this is love, that we walk after his commandments, &c. 
2 John 6." 

49 



578 APPENDIX. 

of us, we may submit to it, while there is yet tenderness in our hearts, 
so that a spirit of unbelief in any one of these great doctrines of life 
and salvation may never be entertained ; that none of the great truths 
of the gospel may be looked upon with indifference, but that every one 
of us may be so quickened and made alive unto God, by the resurrec- 
tion and power of Jesus Christ, as to be furnished and blessed with the 
perceptive and all instructive guidance and influence of his Holy 
Spirit. 

LETTER III. 

THE EFFECT OF ACTION AND REACTION UPON THE PROFESSORS 
OF CHRISTIANITY, ESPECIALLY IN RELATION TO THE SOCIETY 
OF FRIENDS. 

MY DEAR FRIEND, 

We learn from history, that whenever God in his providence has 
made way for an advance of his church and people, their old enemy 
and watchful foe, has then always been ready to exercise all his ma- 
noeuvres and powers to drive her back again into the wilderness ; and 
we have no need to go further back than the Protestant reformation 
for a proof of it ; for in a review of those times, we easily recognize 
his palpable and bestirring efforts to frustrate the blessed work, and to 
tarnish the beauty that seemed to be dawning upon the church, and, if 
possible, to deter her from going forward in the way which God had 
opened before her, even to the advanced ground which he had provided 
for the pitching of her tents and tabernacles. Thus, when the early 
reformers began to see the errors and inconsistencies of the Romish 
Church, the evil effects of their outward forms and observances could not 
but greatly strike their attention, and particularly their doctrine of the 
real presence of the body and blood of Christ in what was called the 
sacrament of the Lord's Supper ; the whole, and particularly the latter, 
tending to a denial of the spirituality of religion, and the benefit of the 
offering once made for all, by the sufferings of Jesus Christ without 
the gates of Jerusalem. The errors of Socinus were also propagated 
about this time, and his followers were thus in reality associated with 
the Romish Church in effecting the same object, though by different 
means, and seemed to threaten the overthrow and downfall of the whole 
doctrine of Christian redemption. The earnest efforts of the honest 
hearted and sincere reformers urgently opposed both these evils, and 
the Romish Church, defending in a very undue manner the doctrine 
of works, the abuse of which was the foundation of their system of 
priestcraft, the enemy of all good, took advantage of the heat of this 



ACTION AND REACTION. 579 

controversy, and through a want of watchfulness and care on th part 
of the first reformers, they were led on, step by step, to such a warm 
defence of the doctrine of the atonement, as to lose sight of the more 
practical operation of the light, grace, and spirit of our Lord Jesus 
Christ ; and this gained such ground at a later period, during the hot 
disputes between the Calvinistic Puritans and the Protestant Episco- 
pacy, which retained many of the Romish superstitions and errors, and 
they were so exclusively and intently fixed on extolling the merits of 
the former, that they very much lost sight of the necessity of the lat- 
ter ; and so by inattention to it, their experience in, and faith concern- 
ing the power of practical religion, gradually diminished and vanished 
away ; insomuch that finally they became so void and faithless of the 
spirit and life of religion, that he who made a profession of spirituality, 
became as it were, a by-word and a hissing to these great and zealous 
supporters of the ever blessed atonement. Yea, and those who wor- 
shipped God in spirit, who walked in his light, and believed in the 
perceptible guidance and influence of his holy spirit, were deemed 
mystics and enthusiasts ; and now having lost the life and the power ; 
the faith of these high professors generally was only literal, and their 
devotions an imitation, consisting of forms and ceremonies, and things 
that belonged to the outward law. Thus they in their turn, as the 
others in another way had done, made a breach in the same cove- 
nant or system of Christianity, and rejected very much of the vital and 
spiritual part, the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit. 

This, we may well suppose, was effected by the action and reaction of 
that zeal of an unregenerate heart which tends to errors and extremes. 
But God, even her God, forsook not his church. He interposed to re- 
new his whole covenant with her, notwithstanding her wavering and 
vibrations from the true centre, the power of the gospel ! He would 
lead her again out of the wilderness where her enemy had driven her, 
and he would speak comfortably to her. He would raise up unto her 
faithful witnesses, whose hearts he would enlarge, that they should un- 
derstand, and whose eyes he would anoint that they should see, and he 
would restore again to the church the whole covenant entire as in prim- 
itive times, and men should be able again to see equally every provision 
of his salvation. 

And they, our predecessors, did see and did walk in the light of the 
Lord Jesus, in which every one who walketh also believeth, and they 
do ever believe the whole covenant of God, and their faith will be 
found in all that faith can do, and their works in all that works can do. 
And they see that such faith as stands only in literal things, and is not 
also in the light, and life, and power, is dead, being but partial and 
alone ; and in proportion as is the increase of faith, so is the increase 



580 APPENDIX. 

of works ; and so vice versa, as regards a living faith, and those works 
which are with it, which are the fruits of the Spirit of God. For 
such a faith, according to the declaration of the apostle, is also the fruit 
of the same spirit, so that he who hath not the Spirit of Christ, nor 
walketh by it, cannot have the faith as it is in Jesus. 

But the coming forth of George Fox, and his cotemporaries, for the 
restoration of God's covenant, as well as the primitive testimonies and 
doctrines of the gospel, drew upon them the malice and rage of the old 
watchful foe ; for the advancement of the church, by the redeeming 
power of God through Jesus Christ, still excited the most dire hatred 
of her enemy, the devil, whose malice, as it did in the early days of 
the Christian church, now again instigated and poured forth a mighty 
volume of rage and persecution against them, hoping no doubt to get 
to himself some honor over the church of God. For inasmuch as in 
the primitive times he was able to persecute the Christian church, only 
by and through the people of the world, so now he hoped to divide 
Christ's kingdom against itself, and if not to the overthrow of all — yet 
to the dividing of the spoil, and himself to share in it, by arraying 
Christian against Christian, catholic against protestant, and finally, even 
protestant Christians against each other. Now it was seen that even 
those who were making the highest profession of the atoning blood of 
their Redeemer, and who were placing the most implicit reliance and 
confidence therein, could be brought forward in the very face of the 
gospel, to spoil and devour the professors of the same faith ; for this 
plain reason only, that they, the latter, were endeavoring to embrace 
and observe all the commands and doctrines of their Lord and Master 
Jesus Christ. They had made a firm stand and notable advancement 
against the kingdom of darkness, therefore the prince of darkness 
now rose in his fury and spread the work of cruelty around, increas- 
ingly striving to waste and paralyze this people. But this advanced 
guard — this little band of humble warriors, fighting under the strong 
banner of Christ Jesus, their holy head and leader, were invincible, 
because their Captain was with them, and went before them ; and for 
this reason, that their weapons were not carnal, but mighty through 
God to the pulling down the strong holds of Satan and his armies. 

I shall now proceed to make some remarks upon Socinianism and in- 
fidelity, subsequent to the rise of the Society of Friends, and on the 
introduction of these opinions among them, and among other Christian 
professors. If inquiry were to be made for the first cause of these 
modern deviations from the soundness of Christian faith, we might 
easily trace it to the same source whence evil first came into the world, 
and whence we are to look for the primary origin of all iniquity ; and 
if we were to seek for the grounds on which that first cause of evi 



ACTION AND REACTION. 581 

acts on our fallen nature, our inquiries must end in the conviction, that 
it rests in a disposition for insubordination to the needful restraints of 
the divine law, and on pride, that great upholder of self, and of the 
will of the flesh. These are the elements, in the absence of the hum- 
bling power of Truth, with which the enemy pitches his strongholds and 
builds his embattlements, even in the unrestrained will of man, and in 
the pride of his heart ; a pride which may not be seen on his person, but 
which either his words or his actions, sooner or later, will show to have a 
dwelling in his heart. Hence, he will in a greater or less degree, stand 
opposed to the pure, humbling, and needful restraints of the gospel ; in 
some way or other this will be found, and to such a degree at least, as will 
keep him under the dominion of evil. But the out goings by which the 
tempter leads man off from the ways of Truth, are varied according to his 
natural disposition ; according too to the traditions received, and the con- 
dition and faith of the society with which he is connected, and of those 
deviations which lead from the Truth ; the enemy, although he regards 
the least, still glories most in the worst and widest ; and although high 
professing hypocrisy cannot be deemed the least of these, yet open in- 
fidelity must be acknowledged the greatest ; still it is believed, that the 
ready foe has made the former a clue to the latter, and however natural 
it is for things to produce their like, yet we find that through the inter- 
position of an evil agent, the natural order may be broken and re- 
versed, and a thing may lead to another widely differing in its degree, 
and in some respects in its nature, yet in denomination the same. As 
one extreme often produces another, so may the abhorrence of one evil 
lead the unwary mind into its opposite evil ; and although, in some dis- 
positions, over action may subside into inaction, yet it undoubtedly 
often produces reaction ; and as it regards spiritual agency, where 
the power of Truth is not the moving principle, then there is another 
power which influences and controls men's actions, and controls that 
which leads to action, viz : their faith, or rather their notions or way of 
thinking ; for indeed if they are not in some degree under the influence 
of the Truth, let their profession be what it may, they can have noth- 
ing which deserves the name of faith. For when men forsake the 
power of Truth, this choice gift is continued to them no longer ; they 
then have not its renewing assurances, they are trusting in a false hope, 
which is nothing more than the spurious workings of the deceiver. 
The vanity and pride of ascribing to man the honor of saving himself 
by his own good works, as is done by those who rely for salvation on 
works alone, has been eagerly grasped by the devil ; and at the same 
time that he extols it to its devotees, he exhibits it in the most ridicu- 
lous point of view to all such as, seeing its inconsistencies, are led into 
the Calvinistic sentiment, which excludes good works altogether, caus- 
49* 



582 APPENDIX. 

ing them to confide exclusively in Christ's outward atonement for them, 
and in this way the enemy takes advantage of man's frailty ; still char- 
ity leads us to the persuasion that sincerity may exist in the one as 
well as in the other, but practical observation obliges us also to admit, 
that a complete character of hypocrisy may be found in both. 

Again, where good works or obedience are struck altogether from 
the account, and God believed to be equal in all his ways, and implicit 
confidence being placed on Christ's redemption without us, then comes 
in the doctrine of universal salvation without any condition. In all 
these forms of belief we can plainly see the care taken to provide an 
escape from the pain and conflict of the sanctifying and practical work 
of the grace and spirit of God upon men's souls for their purification, 
so that a place may be found and abode in, for the continued indul- 
gence of the flesh ; and the will of man, vainly attempted to be kept 
alive in every form of religion, save the one true form in which obedi- 
ence and the power of the Spirit dwelleth. It must be acknowledged 
then, that the mind let out to mere opinions, without the living, funda- 
mental, and true touchstone of the light and grace of God, confirmed 
by the Scriptures, will probably run into great errors ; and so it seems 
many, very many, have run. But the devil has not led every one in 
the same way, though he may bring them to the same bitter end at 
last, — for there are many paths which lead through devious windings, 
but all come out at the same sad point. He may induce both profes- 
sors and non-professors, (the freedom of the gospel is not apparent in 
one, nor its fruits in the other,) to disbelieve the spirituality of Christi- 
anity, because they see their neighbour, who is high in the profession of 
it, either a mere enthusiast or a hypocrite. Again, he may induce 
some men to disbelieve in the atonement of Jesus Christ, because many 
who lay great stress upon it, are in their practice no better than infi- 
dels. Furthermore, he may induce many to condemn Christianity 
under every name and form, because they see those who profess to be- 
lieve in, and follow the Lord Jesus Christ as a Saviour, continue to 
pursue this world, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, with great 
avidity, like other men. 

But after all, whatever the inducement may appear to be, or what- 
ever may be seen in others inclining thereto, the strongest ground of 
unbelief is in a man's own heart, and in the utter want, or loss of true 
religion there. To such as are inclined to reasoning, Satan is fully able, 
successfully to pervert and misrepresent the doctrines of the gospel, 
because when their minds are darkened and know not the Truth, he 
can and does lead them to mistake his false radiance for the light of 
Christ, and thereby induces a great reversion of views and sentiments, 
making light darkness, and darkness light, before them. Hence they 



ACTION AND EEACTION. 583 

become an easy prey to infidelity. In this way I apprehend it was 
that some were seduced in the early days of our Society, even such as 
had more self love and spiritual pride, than vital Christianity, to wit : 
John Perrott, John Wilkinson, and others. (See Sewell's and Gough's 
Histories.) 

But we see how soon their anti-christian doctrines were discerned 
and detected by George Fox and his cotemporaries, because the light 
and spirit of Christianity abode in them ; even a measure of that Spirit 
which trieth every spirit, and is able to decide whether it be of God or 
not. The judgment of Truth was thus placed upon the heads of these 
innovators and great pretenders to spirituality. And again, in more 
modern times, it was in the self-same way, that Satan deceived and led 
away some in Ireland, and many in North America ; and it is believed 
that the facility of his victory over them, was greatly owing to their 
self love, self righteousness, and their great want of meek Christian 
principle. Insomuch that by his transforming power, he succeeded in 
bringing them to suppose, or to profess that they supposed, that our 
first Friends did not believe in the true divinity and reconciling sacri- 
fice of our Lord Jesus Christ; than which a greater absurdity, and 
perversion of things, could hardly be imagined. For however the views 
of others as to the spirituality of religion, were such as necessarily to 
lead our early Friends to dwell much upon that part of the Christian 
doctrine, and to insist on the leading of God's grace in the heart ; yet 
there is nothing more obviously foreign to the truth than the pre- 
tensions of those Socinian seceders, viz : that our first Friends did not 
believe in the true godhead and manhood of Jesus Christ, and in the 
blessed purpose of his sacrifice. So that we verily know that these 
outbreakings, cannot in the least degree be grounded upon any defect 
in our predecessors, in any point of Christian faith concerning the offi- 
ces and character of Christ ; for abundant evidence is deducible from 
their writings to prove that such a defect did not exist. 

As has been before suggested, the professors of Christianity in the 
time of George Fox, had generally forsaken the spirituality of religion, 
but were not in the least wanting as to a belief in the outward coming, 
the divinity, and sacrifice of Christ. Hence there was not that neces- 
sity of insisting upon faith in this last-mentioned part of the Covenant, 
respecting which there was no defect of faith, as upon that part in 
which there was a deficiency ; and this their practice was according to 
Truth and sound reasoning. For what skilful physician, being called 
to administer to a diseased person, would not resort to such medicine, 
as would tend to counteract the complaint that was already upon him, 
rather than to administer to a disease under which he did not suffer, 
and in which respect he was entirely sound and healthy. Now, as the 



584 APPENDIX. 

literal and spiritual parts of Christianity cannot be considered by any 
truly enlightened mind to be opposing or contending properties, any 
more than the body and soul of a perfect man, so therefore there can 
be no necessary fear, that to promote the right apprehension of the one 
could endanger the safety of the other. To say that except a man has 
the spirit of Christ he is none of his, does not gainsay the testimony 
that " God was manifest in the flesh, seen of angels, believed on in the 
world, received up into glory ! " and I believe that the more true spirit- 
ual Christianity a man has, the better he will be qualified rightly to 
see and to estimate the doctrines of Truth as contained in the Holy 
Scriptures relative to the outward coming and offices of Jesus Christ ; 
and for this very reason I believe, and am abundantly convinced, that 
our predecessors had much more of the true faith, and had much 
clearer views of the meaning and standing of the Scriptures, as well 
as of the true divinity of, and the purposes of the sufferings of our 
Lord and Saviour, than other professors of that day, who were making 
a high profession of their faith in them, but many of whom were want- 
ing in spiritual and vital religion. 



LETTER IV. 

ON THE SECESSION IN AMERICA. 
MY DEAR FRIEND, 

It has been supposed by some, that within the last century, there 
had been either a defect in the faith of the Society of Friends, as to 
the outward coming and atonement of Jesus Christ ; or otherwise not 
enough of care taken by its ministers to lay sufficient stress upon, or to 
allude sufficiently to the efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ without us, so 
as by that means to keep up a safe barrier against the inroads of in- 
fidelity. I think the latter was the case with too many in America, 
and I make no doubt that if Friends had been timely aware of what 
might come, and what did afterwards come, they would have been bet- 
ter guarded against it. But I know not that there was any unsound- 
ness in our Society there, until the seeds were sown in the mind of him 
who stood at the head of the late secession, excepting only in a very 
few solitary individuals. Nor do I think that the open infidel writings 
of Paine, nearly half a century ago, had any effect in shaking the faith 
of Friends ; for, as far as my knowledge extends, these writings were 
justly deprecated by them, and treated everywhere with the abhor- 
rence they justly merited ; but whether the publications of Paine, or 
the more artful and refined writings of Priestley, contained the seed, 



SECESSION IN AMEKICA. 585 

which first fell on the fitly prepared ground : to wit, the heart of the 
first founder of the American secession, I am not prepared to deter- 
mine ; but through whatever medium, or whether only through the 
agency of satan, it seems that either by a lapse into spiritual pride, or 
by some other means, his heart was exceeding congenial to its growth, 
and his natural talent and manner were wonderfully calculated to sup- 
plant truth unobserved; as well as for the first spreading the seeds of in- 
fidelity. It seems however that there were a few prominent characters 
about the same time, or soon after, who were prepared to receive from 
this their leader those seeds of infidelity. Hence through him and them 
(men of great influence) awful devastation was made in the Society of 
Friends in America ; and however the Socinian doctrine may have 
lamentably spread far and wide both in Europe and America, still 
I apprehend that so great a schism or devastation in proportion to num- 
bers, has not been known elsewhere, as in the instance just mentioned. 
Here then a question may arise, whether the Society of Friends, from 
its peculiar tenets, or discipline, is more exposed to the influence of such 
doctrines, than other branches of the Christian church. To this it may 
be replied with much confidence, that the plain, full, and true doctrines 
of Friends are not more nearly allied to Socinianism than are those of 
others. No ! and if indeed the doctrines of this Society are the genuine 
doctrines of primitive Christianity, which we do most surely believe, 
then are they farther from infidelity than any others. 

Nevertheless, there is no doubt at all that the devil envies those most 
who are the most purely Christian, and consequently presses them the 
most sorely with his temptations, and strives the hardest to ensnare and 
drive them back from their advanced ground; and upon this principle 
we are led to believe that the temptations wherewith he tempted the 
author of Christianity, were greater than those whereby he has ever 
tempted men. By the same rule he exerts his power more against 
good men than against others, and besides, the more good he can despoil 
and overcome, the greater his victory and exultation. But however 
great the trials of those who stand high in the scale of profession may 
be, still, if it be a profession to which God hath called them, their dwell- 
ing being " in the secret place of the Most High," they " shall abide 
under the shadow of the Almighty," — and their strength and their pro- 
tection will certainly be equal to the trials of their day ; hence as their 
feet abide upon the watch tower, their habitation will be kept in safety. 
But a mere profession of Christianity is altogether unavailing in a 
Quaker as in any other. Yet as it regards the extent of that derelic- 
tion of principle which befell so many professing with Friends in 
America, however they may still profess to be Christians, yet every one 
acquainted with their skepticism, cannot but fear that they or their 



586 APPENDIX. 

leaders have so far abandoned Christianity as to forfeit their right of 
benefit in the outward coming and propitiatory sacrifice of Jesus Christ, 
and consequently their right in the whole covenant ; as all depends upon 
that blessed sacrifice. But it would seem as if the devil did make a 
kind of compromise with them, and such too as he had made with none 
other than professed Quakers, for as their principles lead them to be- 
lieve in the light, grace, and spirit of Christianity, as a distinguishing 
article, it would seem that he despaired of so managing with them, as 
to strike this off at once with the other important part of the great 
plan, he therefore suffered them still to profess the spiritual guidance, 
(which nevertheless if real, there is nothing that he hates worse,) well 
knowing that if he could induce a flat denial of the proper divinity and 
atonement of Jesus Christ without them, that they would not then, in 
the very nature of things, be sharers in the true light of Christ within 
them, and walk in it : so that he could now deceive them with his false 
radiance, which they should mistake for the real light. For having 
denied " the Lord that bought them," they could not be enlightened 
by him. Now, according to their manner of thinking and reading too, 
as they would of course be looking for light and spirit to guide them, 
full opportunity presented for this false light of the fallen angels, and the 
true light being thus superseded by darkness, through unbelief and 
hardness of heart, there was no power in them to distinguish between 
the true and the false ; between Christ and antichrist ; hence antichrist 
took the lead, and his light and his spirit became their guide ! he, well 
pleased enough with it, and with their cry, which was a continual reitera- 
tion of " the light ! the light ! the spirit ! the spirit ! " — and Christ within 
but not luithout ! yea, and proud and vaunting enough is he, to have 
wrested from Christ his name ! and to obtain from the children of men 
the honor and homage attached to their leader ! glorying too in his own 
power of transformation and delusion, in making himself as God and 
sitting as God ! — Now in this we see his cloven foot again, and his two- 
fold and cunning intention in pushing forward these infidel and deluded 
professors to the cry of " the spirit of the Lord ! the spirit of the Lord ! " 
and filling their mouths continually with it, and for this very purpose ; 
that the truly spiritual Christian, whom he cannot in the same way de- 
coy, may if possible, be made to loathe the very name of Christ in 
spirit, or " Christ within the hope of glory," this manifestation of the 
covenant being so continually brought forward and taken in vain by 
those well known to be antichristians. Hence we see the art and power 
of the arch-destroyer to contrive and form a deadly weapon with two 
edges, calculated to cut, to wound, and to kill each way ! he fills the 
mouths of his deluded followers, both with a cry against Christian re- 
demption, and at the same time for it ; that is, partly for and partly 



SECESSION IN AMERICA. 587 

against, in order to divide Christ ; thus also to divide and part asunder 
his people, and to destroy the one half on his right hand, and the other 
half on his left ! 

Then seeing the destroyer has gone forth, let all stand fast : for he 
has now but dressed up his old trick in a new garb, in order to play it 
off again upon the unwary, and those who cry peace. He has insti- 
gated the Socinian doctrine on the one hand to take captive all that is 
possible thereby, intending that those who may escape it, shall in their 
flight for refuge take shelter in the doctrines and opinions of men, in 
unconditional assurance, or in the flesh without the; spirit, — because 
therefore the Socinian or Hicksite has sinfully denied the divinity and 
atonement of Christ, shall we unnecessarily and sinfully too, abandon 
everything else relative to God's salvation, that so we may establish 
what they deny ? as if it were possible for us to obtain salvation by the 
one without the other. And will any be driven through cowardice 
from a practical faith in divine grace, and the light and spirit of the 
gospel, because these seceders have illusively pretended thereto. Will 
any man be deterred from reverently naming and believing in the holy 
name, because the atheist chants it off with scorn ? Not the true 
Christian, no ; for if the very worst of men deceptively profess the best 
of things, that will never occasion the true believer to abandon them, 
nor if the unfaithful abandon one part of the covenant, professing to 
support the other, it will never induce the former to reverse it, for in 
so doing he would be a covenant breaker as much as the other. 

Now, in conclusion, I would ask if it is not alike dangerous to man 
and dishonorable towards God, to deny that Jesus Christ has done any- 
thing for our salvation without us, and to deny that he is doing any- 
thing for us, within us, for the same purpose ; seeing that if we reject 
either of these provisions, we cannot be saved, for we cannot so much 
as begin a good life, without the application of that great sacrifice of his 
body, once made for all men. Nor in the second place can we advance 
a single day of our lives in the Christian way and warfare against sin, 
without his presence and help continually extended to us. The former 
was a mighty offering of his own body, a living sacrifice, once made for 
the reconciliation of man ; the latter is a continual extension and opera- 
tion of his power and spirit, light and grace, perceptibly working in the 
hearts of men, for their preservation and safe guidance through the 
whole course of their lives ; for however much and long a man may 
have gone forward by cooperating with the spirit of God in himself, 
yet he can never witness preservation and a continuance in well-doing 
but through the power of this grace and spirit of God working in him 
and with him ; and if the declarations of our Lord Jesus Christ, and 
the apostle Paul, be correct, man might for want of a continuance 



588 APPENDIX. 

herein, sin against the Holy Ghost, and fall from a good state into one 
from which it would be impossible even for the atonement itself to re- 
store him. 



LETTER V. 

ON THE HOLT SCRIPTURES. 



MY DEAR FRIEND, 



It will be seen by every rational well-informed mind, that the com- 
parison of two or more things together does not virtually diminish the 
real value of either ; but affords a ready way of exhibiting, and ascer- 
taining, the equal, or superior, or inferior properties of things differing 
both in nature and kind, viz : the good and the evil ; and these sever- 
ally have their degrees ; but my present purpose will be answered by a 
brief recurrence to the good. On this great scale is beheld, even by 
us, short-sighted as we are, a mighty range of vast extent from the 
lowest to the highest, in the blessed order of God's assignment ; for no 
man hath ever been able to comprehend, or to reach to the higher de- 
grees of the radii of this mighty circle : so that we see there is room 
for a place and a station for every good thing in the spiritual as well as 
in the temporal economy, and that without any interference or infringe- 
ment upon each other. And God standeth above all, and over all, and 
through all, and is in all, and ordereth all ; and in comparison of whom 
there is no created thing which can be named in the heaven above, or 
the earth beneath, or under the earth, or even all things put together ; 
they can indeed be no more accounted of, than the drop of the bucket, 
or than the particles of dust which cleave to the balance ; and this is the 
more evinced to us by reflection on his glorious attributes of wisdom 
and power, justice and mercy, goodness and love, each in itself un- 
bounded in extent ; yet in him all are comprehended, each of itself 
filling all things, yet each clearly distinct ; all in harmony, and what is 
wonderful, all are one, and that one is God, and each of these bears 
witness to the whole, and God in each records his mighty power, and 
testifies, and manifests himself in all. He, Jehovah, is seen of angels, 
but he has also manifested himself unto man ; and, which all believers 
acknowledge, he has not only manifested himself, but also the knowl- 
edge of his will, and that too at sundry times and in divers manners. 

But as it regards the ways and means by which God, through Jesus 
Christ, has revealed his will in former times, or at least as respects the 
adaptation of those ways and means to the minds of men in the present 
day, there appears to be a great difference of opinion between us as 
a people, and other professing Christians — which difference Robert 



THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 589 

Barclay in his apology for the true Christian divinity, has set forth in 
a clear, cogent, and scriptural manner. He has in that work answered 
the great question, whether that principle which contains the light, 
grace, spirit, and faith of the gospel, or the Bible, is the first and best 
leader and controller of the Christian's life and practice ; and he has 
fairly made the Bible to decide this question itself. None need do more 
than simply quote all the passages from the Scriptures which speak in 
favor of both these positions, and there will certainly be found a great 
preponderance in favor of the ground taken by our early Friends, and 
taken also by the apostles, in following the directions of our Lord, as 
to the guidance of his spirit, and its operation upon men's hearts. And 
I would indeed that all who may have any doubts on this point — might 
first read the New Testament carefully through with candor, and an 
eye to the subject, and then examine Robert Barclay's proposition on 
the same subject, when the coincidence will be readily seen. But 
though Robert Barclay has clearly and unanswerably demonstrated 
this, I would suggest the following queries for the consideration of all 
inquirers : — 

1st. Can the Scriptures, or did they ever, save any one without the 
spirit ? 

2d. Is a person called to the work of the ministry by the Scriptures, 
or by the spirit of Jesus Christ ? 

3d. Is a man brought under a concern to go from one place to an- 
other to preach the gospel, by the Scriptures, or by the constraining 
power of the spirit and love of Jesus Christ ? 

4th. And when he is arrived at the place assigned, and is assembled 
with the people, is it not the spirit of Christ that truly unfolds the 
Scriptures, and brings to view the state of men, either in the words of 
Scripture, or in some other suitable language ? 

oth. And when a professed minister preaches in any of our meetings, 
his doctrines not being repugnant to the letter of the Scriptures, are 
the elders or others to judge by the Scriptures, or by the Spirit of Truth, 
whether his ministry is from the right spring or not ? 

6th. Did not the Jews think they had eternal life in the Scriptures, 
and yet would not come unto Christ that they might have life ? 

Finally, Christ the Lord, is the minister and leader of his people, 
(others as well as ministers,) for they do believe the truth of his gracious 
words, that he is with them, and dwelleth in them, and girdeth them, and 
bringeth all things to their remembrance ; and they know him and his 
words which he spake in the days of his flesh, to be unequivocal and 
true, and not feigned words, or vain pretensions. They know too, by 
blessed experience, that their faith in Him, their leader, is a practical 
and living principle — that it is not a mere theory ; and they find, this 
50 



590 APPENDIX. 

living experience confirmed to them by literal testimonies from the Scrip- 
tures. Hence they are enabled livingly to believe the Scriptures, and to 
assign them their proper place ; or rather to allow them to take their own 
station and allotment in the blessed schedule of God's providence, 
declaring themselves to be " profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for cor- 
rection, for instruction in righteousness," and that through faith they 
are able to make us wise unto salvation ; where too he has also placed 
them, and where they acknowledge themselves to have been placed. 
Hereby those who attempt to put them in the place of the immediate 
and life-giving instruction of the spirit of Christ, are not true and gen- 
uine believers, of the full, fair, and irrefragable testimony of the Holy 
Scriptures, as it relates to the question before us. In making a com- 
parison of the blessed spirit of the gospel with the Scriptures of truth, 
there is nothing lost to them ; for placing it above them is no diminu- 
tion of their excellency, nor of their character ; nor can there be any 
dishonor brought to the sacred writings, by placing the all manifesting 
spirit, and light, and grace of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, 
over and above them in the rightful order of God's manifestations and 
provisions for the children of men. Nay ! truly, it cannot be deroga- 
tory to the Scriptures, nor to any other creature here below, to place the 
second Adam, the Lord from heaven, the quickening spirit, above 
them ; and it may be presumed that no person who believes in, and is 
disposed willingly and self-denyingly to wait from time to time, for the 
coming of the Lord from heaven, the quickening spirit, will be disposed 
to give the preference to aught which is beneath the power, and the life, 
the covering ; and the instruction ; proceeding from it : for these know it 
to be their Alpha and Omega, truly the beginning and the end of all 
their Christian movements ; but this would never authorize any one in 
the least to believe or act contrary to the Scriptures, which are a 
blessed revelation of the will of God. 

If we compare the Scriptures with the writings of our early Friends, 
there will be nothing lost to the latter by placing the former above 
them, and in the higher sphere of that exalted rank, where they do 
deservedly, and ever ought to stand, far above all modern writings, for 
several considerations which are well defined by Robert Barclay. For 
as the Scriptures, being authentic and true, place themselves below 
Christ and his blessed Spirit, so the writings of our worthy predeces- 
sors being also true, place themselves meekly and modestly, entirely 
below the holy Scriptures — a correct position. 

Now, therefore, as the Scriptures are true and authentic in word and 
doctrine, and stand above all other writings, we may fully admit them 
to be the only outward, fit rule and standard by which all the profes- 
sors of Christianity may prove and try their doctrines ; and more 



THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 591 

especially, where that Spirit which trieth the spirits, is not so well 
known and understood. This outward test being then generally agreed 
to by all, is a treasure of inestimable value, and the more so, because it 
instructs them of the purchase of their redemption, and emphatically 
directs all to the light and grace of God, through the gospel ; which 
are the very things that our forefathers and we as a people have in- 
sisted on. But we see, nevertheless, that for want of a perfectly single 
eye to the light of Christ, some of the doctrines of this perfect standard 
are misconstrued and differently understood, so that Christendom has 
become divided into divers denominations, and each of these denomina- 
tions has a creed or confession of faith peculiar to itself, and founded, 
as it is supposed, upon a right understanding of the Scriptures ; every 
individual member, therefore, of these different sects feels himself 
bound to believe and support the doctrines of the gospel as understood 
by his own society ; and such is surely his duty, if he believes with all 
his heart that they are correct. But whenever any member of a relig- 
ious body sincerely thinks that he has found important errors in the 
fundamental doctrines of his own people, it then becomes his duty openly 
and candidly to say to them, " That such and such, being your faith, 
and such and such mine, I must therefore separate myself from you, 
my views having become established, and my duty prompting me to 
open them to you, and before all men, and not knowing but as ye are 
many and I am but one, that ye are still more correct than I, I am 
resolved, therefore, to take no secret measures, nor to use any hidden 
influence, to draw you unawares into my opinion ; knowing as I do, 
that the purity and integrity of the gospel is such, that no end, how- 
ever seemingly good, can sanctify any deceptive means to draw vota- 
ries to its support." 

Candid and Christian was the way taken by our early Friends to 
gather and establish a society coinciding with their own views ; they 
maintained honest, manly ground; for their object was not a perversion 
of right principles, but a fair and lucid exhibition of them in the very 
face of day. Far different were the subtle movements of the seceders 
from Friends in America ; they endeavored, with all the art and cun- 
ning in their power, secretly to gain and to proselyte the unwary, to 
their new-fangled system of infidelity. How much more honorable to 
have come out into broad daylight, and proclaimed their views, invit- 
ing others to their standard. There might have been honor in such 
measures, though practised by infidels. 

The subject before us, my dear friend, is one of deep importance, 
(even the right assignment of the place of the holy Scriptures,) when 
we contemplate the great consequences which await the retaining or 
abandonment of apostolic ground ; the ground taken by our predecessors 



592 APPENDIX. 

in profession, and which they supported with regard to the compara- 
tive rank of the spirit of Jesus Christ, and the Scriptures ; for it would 
not require much foresight and sagacity to see, that if we as a people, 
were to change the place of the Scriptures, and exalt them above, and 
put them in the place of the teaching of the spirit of Christ, that it 
must inevitably, and that before long, completely overturn and change 
our ancient faith and practice, concerning both silent worship, and the 
need there is of a continually renewed qualification in a gospel minis- 
ter : two very prominent and important doctrines of the Christian 
religion. They are indeed the true doctrines of the gospel of our Lord 
and Saviour Jesus Christ ; and they had been virtually witnessed by 
the real worshippers and faithful messengers in all the previous ages 
of the world, who waited, spoke, and wrote as they were moved by the 
Holy Ghost. The knowledge and true experience of these doctrines had 
been very much lost, even since the more refulgent dawning of gospel 
light upon the sons of men, until they were proclaimed, and the true 
standard was again raised and supported through much pain and suf- 
fering by George Fox and his cotemporaries ; and the same doctrines 
continue to be acknowledged by their successors in faith down to the 
present day. Yet it is lamentable that these doctrines remain to be 
peculiar to the society of Friends, and that they only (it is believed) 
as a body, are found experimentally and livingly to teach and to prac- 
tise them. 

Inasmuch then as men, by silently waiting upon God, may happily 
attain strength and instruction, so they can thereby do more towards 
pulling down the strongholds of sin and Satan ; therefore his enmity is 
the more excited, and his cunning the more exercised to allure them 
from this blessed ground ; for finding his attempts to drive them by 
violence from the truth, to be in vain, he now very insidiously resorts 
to art and intrigue ; he is very plausible with them, seeking if he can, 
to relax their direct hold upon God, and their dependence singly on 
him. He asks but small concessions at once, and admits something 
that shall very nearly resemble the right thing, and yet not be the 
thing itself; he gives it a good name, alleging its necessity, and extol- 
ling its advantages. And however the adversary hates the Holy Scrip- 
tures, and would induce men to disbelieve them altogether, still, when 
he cannot effect this purpose, it is like himself, to exalt them in name, 
even above their right order and true standing, that so he may dis- 
honor Christ ; hence he would place the Scriptures instead of, or 
before the instructions of Christ's spirit, casting a shade of darkness 
over men's minds, and over the true faith of the gospel, subtilely sug- 
gesting the impracticability of a direct leading of the Holy Spirit, and 
thus inducing ministers to abandon that flesh-paining exercise of wait- 



PLAINNESS AND SELF-DENIAL. 593 

ing for the promise of the Father, and setting them to work, to preach 
the letter only instead of Christ Jesus in the demonstration of the spirit, 
and with power; hence by degrees he would in time, so thoroughly 
change and remove this holy ground of our standing, that it might 
finally be abandoned altogether ; which must indeed unavoidably be the 
case if w r e misplace the Scriptures, (as some other professors do,) by 
putting them as our instructor before the Spirit ; then would our wor- 
ship, our ministry, and our forms, become like theirs ! 

LETTER VI. 

ON PLAINNESS AND SELF-DENIAL. 



MY DEAR FRIEND, 



My mind has often been brought into much painful exercise on ac- 
count of the many departures from the wholesome Christians testimo- 
nies of simplicity and plainness ; testimonies faithfully upheld by the 
Society of Friends in its earlier days, and times of its greater purity ; 
leading to humility and meekness, and to the avoiding of pride and 
high-mindedness. There is no difficulty in ascertaining from whence 
these testimonies were drawn by our early Friends, even from Jesus 
Christ himself, that great example of meekness and self-denial ; and the 
source too from whence every wholesome admonition, and good and per- 
fect gift are received ; and if through all good conscience we will " ob- 
serve whatsoever he commandeth us, even to follow him ; " and what the 
apostles preached and observed also, w*e shell find it needful to make a 
stand against the insidious pursuits of vanity, and a worldly spirit, and 
a nurturing of the will of the flesh. The apostle declared that " the 
grace of God which bringeth salvation," teacheth (also) the " denying 
of ungodliness and the world's lusts," and this truth, with the declara- 
tions of Christ himself, to wit, " if any man will be my disciple, let him 
deny himself and take up his daily cross and follow me," and " take my 
yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and low of heart," 
and that of coming to be a disciple of Christ and wearing his yoke 
brings us to the denying of what another apostle calls " the lust of the 
flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life ; " and it is by this prac- 
tical self-denial that the followers of Christ are distinguished from other 
people ; it is not what men say, or profess, that makes the true dis- 
tinctive character, for a man may think much, and believe much, and 
rely much upon the sufferings of Christ upon the cross, and at the 
same time be an utter enemy to the cross of Christ, as it regards his 
own practical endurance of it, a thing indispensable to a disciple of 
Christ ; and it is very evident, that there can be no true follower, 
without possessing so much of the spirit and power of the cross, as 



594 APPENDIX. 

will work in him to the mortifying of the deeds of the body ; to the 
sanctifying of the spirit, and to the subjugation of the will of the flesh. 

And a good degree of this experience is undoubtedly witnessed by 
individuals under different denominations ; but the Society of Friends 
from the first, found it needful to adhere to greater purity of manners 
than other professors had done, in order to be more perfect followers of 
his example, as well as of his doctrine of the strait and narrow way 
which leads to life ; believing indeed the verity and truth of his sayings ; 
and that his doctrines of the cross are unequivocal ; and finding by 
practice too, that the bearing of his cross patiently and honestly, did 
in very deed, work to the mortifying of the deeds of the flesh ; hence 
as a people we have seen more clearly than others the necessity of' 
" always bearing about in the body, the dying of the Lord Jesus, that 
the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body." " For we 
which live, are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the 
life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 2 Cor. 
iv. 10, 11." 

Whatever then may be the practices or sayings of others, we feel 
bound faithfully to adhere to the commands and doctrines of Christ and 
his apostles as recorded in holy writ, as well as to the word of God's 
grace in our hearts, to the denying of all desires after the maxims and 
manners, fashions and customs, of this vain world. And as this was a 
subject not unworthy of the Son of God, and his apostles, in his and 
their preaching and personal simplicity, none will do well in charging 
his more scrupulous followers with narrow-mindedness, because of their 
conformity to the doctrine and practice of Christ and his apostles ; 
seeing that every one of his disciples should conscientiously keep his 
commandments, and follow his example of meekness and humility.- 
Nor let any one be deterred from the practice of a self-denying life 
because he may sometimes see traditional or hypocritical professors 
trusting in a form of godliness without the power ; for there is not one 
of the Christian virtues, but attempts have been made to counterfeit it ; 
and they also who make such attempts are enemies to the cross of 
Christ and him crucified, which is the power of God, and wisdom of 
God, and w r hich also the apostle told one of the churches, he was re- 
solved only to know amongst them. 

There was I think more than one reason why the peculiar and prim- 
itive testimonies of plainness were given to, and upheld by the Society 
of Friends ; and first, because they are congenial to the very nature of 
Christianity in its purest form, and agree better with its other testimo- 
nies. And secondly, because if conscientiously maintained, they would 
serve to exhibit this constant acknowledgment to the world, " I am the 
Lord's ! " And thirdly, because it would be an enclosure round about 



PLAINNESS AND SELF-DENIAL. 595 

the tender plants of a rising generation ; for by observing these pecu- 
liarities in language, manners, and appearance, there would not be that 
inclination to mix familiarly with others ; and this has proved to our 
beloved youth a great preservation from the corruptions and vanities 
of the world. In this point of view, the benefit to our Society has 
been incalculable ; for though it is not these peculiarities of plainness 
that cause us to be fruitful, yet by them as an enclosure, the fruit may be 
kept from being devoured. It is the good soil of the garden, well cul- 
tivated, that bringeth forth the fruit, but it is the fenced wall of God's 
providence round about, that keepeth it from being devoured by the 
creatures without. 

And so far is this testimony from being a burden or a hardship, it 
is through the gift of Him who helpeth, a choice blessing from his hand, 
and a blessing too, which if we as a people should begin to despise and 
lightly esteem, God will in his displeasure perhaps remove from us. Yea, 
and if the vine which he has planted, when he looked for grapes, should 
be found bringing forth only wild grapes, he will certainly remove this 
safe enclosure, and suffer the wild beast to tread it down ; and he will 
also command the clouds that they should rain no rain upon it. 

And as a small leak, if suffered to continue, will sink a ship, however 
good and richly laden, and as a small breach in the enclosure of the 
vineyard, however fruitful, will let in the devourer, so I believe if this 
testimony, (however small any may deem it,) should be abandoned, it 
would greatly endanger our safety. Yea, and if the boundaries of cle- 
markation between this people and others, as exhibited in our peculiar 
testimonies, were removed, or suffered to go down through the fear of 
controversy or of singularity ; then should we be prepared to go back, 
and mingle again with others, and that definite and honorable charac- 
teristic by which we have been known and distinguished from all others, 
would be seen and known no more. Hence I consider it highly impor- 
tant to be ourselves faithful, and to train up, and instruct our families 
in these Christian testimonies, and other doctrines of Christ, by a con- 
stant exhibition of this good and comely order and example, as well as 
by clear, plain argument, and open and full declaration of the hope 
within us. 

And if the true ground of the gospel of our Lord and Saviour in its 
primitive purity, as seen by us, cannot be supported without contro- 
versy, then let it be done in the meekness and wisdom of Jesus by con- 
troversy ; for the cause of the blessed Truth is worthy both of contro- 
versy, and of a warfare too, under the banners of the Prince of Peace. 
And to strengthen the minds of any, who might be wavering, we may 
well refer them to the steady and unabating exercises and advice of 
the Yearly Meeting in London, for upwards of one hundred and fifty 



596 APPENDIX. 

years past ; a body which has extended its concern and care over the 
whole Society, for its preservation in the meekness, simplicity, and pu- 
rity of the gospel, and which, in point of religious knowledge, Chris- 
tian authority, and weight of character, has never been exceeded in the 
Christian world, since its establishment. • 

And now my dear friend, in the conclusion of these letters, I may well 
say, that they have been written in the feeling of that love which know- 
eth no bounds ; and which hath for its object the true happiness and sal- 
vation of all ; desiring that, as I have written them in simplicity and ten- 
derness of spirit, thou wouldst permit them to receive a portion of thy 
consideration. I feel a fervent solicitude that all may stand fast in the 
Lord, and hold the profession of their faith without wavering, cleaving 
to the blessed Truth, and submitting to its humbling power ; and thank- 
fully receiving every provision of God's providence, which is dispensed 
to us in common with others, and holding fast too those which have been 
in a more peculiar manner mercifully committed to us, as the testimo- 
nies and statutes of the Lord were to a people formerly. Then might 
we not all well say, " Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell 
in the tents of Kedar," even in the land of Midian, for the crown of his 
pride must be reduced in Jacob ; yea, and it must be brought down in 
Israel : and again : though Esau be thy brother, and the Lord hath 
planted him upon his high mountain, and given him a place in the 
earth, yet Israel must not dwell with him, nor abide there, for he must 
dwell alone. And behold Moab also, his kinsman, for neither shall he 
join himself unto Moab, however multiplied his burnt-offerings, and 
exalted his sacrifices upon his high places ; for Israel must abide in his 
tent, yea, even in his lowly tabernacle a little longer, until the indigna- 
tion be overpast ; for the Lord is his tent and his tabernacle, and it 
was he that first led him forth and allotted to him his possessions in the 
valleys, and as the trees of lign aloes hath he planted him in his garden 
enclosed, and made him fruitful as by the river side ; and if he will be 
content to dwell in the land where the Lord his God has planted him, 
and keep his statutes, then the Lord will bless him still, in the midst 
of the nations, and he will cause that no enchantment nor divination 
shall prevail against him, and so shall he abide as a tabernacle that 
shall not be taken down. And though many may forsake him and 
despise him, because he is small, and his dwelling is in a low place, 
and because the glory of this world shineth not upon the ark of his 
testimonies, yet let him not be dismayed, the Lord is his light and God 
his glory ; and he will encamp round about him ; and his righteousness 
shall " go forth as brightness " and his " salvation as a lamp that 
burneth ! " 

THE END. 






